THE JAPAN NEWS



 

New robotic vacuum cleaners are being launched one after another, offering greater convenience and reliability for consumers. When buying one, it’s wise to consider which models are better suited to particular household conditions and circumstances.

Most robotic vacuum cleaners are disc-shaped devices that move around rooms and vacuum up dust. Computer programs are installed so they can make judgments, while sensors allow them to detect walls, room corners and furniture, and clean more carefully in dustier spots.

Operational performance has improved — many models can negotiate uneven floors with differences in levels of up to about two centimeters.
Newer models can move around more wisely, such as by independently returning to their recharging platforms and avoiding falling from the tops of stairways. Owners can also set timers, meaning working couples can use their robot while they are not at home.

The suction power of the robots is a little weaker than conventional vacuum cleaners.

An official of the Shinjuku West Main Store of Yodobashi Camera Co. said robotic vacuum cleaners “are also popular among elderly people and young company employees. Many people use them in tandem with conventional vacuum cleaners. For example, they set the robots to work on weekdays and clean their rooms by themselves on weekends.”

According to GfK Japan, a marketing research company, 390,000 robotic vacuum cleaners were sold in Japan in 2015 — 20,000 more units than in the previous year. The company predicts that sales will have further increased in 2016.

Wide variety of functions

The Roomba series of robot vacuum cleaners by iRobot Corp. of the United States holds the biggest market share in Japan. The new Roomba 960 model, released in August, has a suggested retail price of ¥89,880 excluding consumption tax.

The Roomba 960 has a “mapping” function to recognize room layouts using cameras and sensors. It runs very efficiently, as if cleaning a space in one circuit.

When the battery is about to run out, the product recharges itself automatically and then resumes cleaning in any remaining spaces.

The U.S. company’s Braava jet 240 model, which costs about ¥29,880, is also popular. This robot does not vacuum dust, but sweeps floors while sprinkling water.

The 360 Eye model by British company Dyson Ltd., which is priced at about ¥138,000, also has a mapping function. It uses cameras to work efficiently in bright rooms. Its main feature is its strong suction power, which Dyson acquired through the production of conventional vacuum cleaners.

Japanese makers of robotic cleaners have only been able to produce models that randomly move around while avoiding furniture using sensors. Instead, the Japanese makers are promoting how conveniently consumers can use their robots, which are designed to suit Japanese housing conditions.

Hitachi Appliances Inc. entered the market in November with its Minimaru RV-DX1 model. This robot, which is priced at about ¥100,000, is small, allowing it to easily navigate spaces between table and chair legs. The company said owners need to empty the robot less often because it compresses the dust it vacuums.

Panasonic Corp.’s RULO MC-RS200 model, which is priced at about ¥100,000, is shaped like a triangle so it can more easily clean corners. The product can also recognize different floor types and accordingly control the movement and rotations of its brushes.

Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corp.’s Torneo Robo VC-RVS2 model, which is priced at about ¥90,000, deposits the dust it sucks into its body in its recharging platform. Owners need to only dispose of the dust once a month.

Sharp Corp.’s Cocorobo RX-V95A, which is priced at about ¥80,000, moves in a uniform crisscrossing manner. The robot can be voice-activated, and also blows air to remove dust from corners.