Electrolux Personal Cleaning Robot could be the future of home cleaning

For the last few decades, cleaning technology has not really improved much beyond the addition of a few LCD displays on all the standard gadgets. Even with more potent cleaning solutions and more powerful cleaning devices, the time it takes to clean the entire home has remained virtually the same. This is where the Electrolux Personal Cleaning Robot created by student designer Nicholas Fair comes into the picture. The technology required to make a cleaning robot does currently exist. In the year 2050, a household cleaning brand like Electrolux would be able to use its traditional techniques and combine it with state-of-the-art robotics to create any surface fully automated household cleaner that would take care of all domestic cleaning on its own.

Electrolux Personal Cleaning Robot

The Personal Cleaning Robot is designed with a thermal lift mechanism that allows it to float using air streams and lets it clean in three dimensions and reach the hard-to-clean corners of future architecture. Thanks to an incredibly lightweight body, the robot can be used in both hand-held form as well as an autonomous cleaning machine. The front of each side circle in the PCR features an arrangement of visual input censors that give it both a forward and bottom view. The arms, the handle and the back feature additional nodes.

To make sure the house is pristine at every level, a UCV disinfecting light is directed at the surface as the PCR cleans and folds down with the underbelly plates automatically. For various cleaning modes and surfaces, the PCR has a lined input canister containing differing components. The hovering all-in-one cleaning device is suitable for varying surfaces and its central body contains five separate cleaning apparatuses.

The PCR is also user friendly and environment friendly since it uses battery capacitor hybrid power storage and recycles its lost energy during its rounds. The cleaner also recycles much of the fabric that it collects as it cleans and its modular structure allows individual parts to be replaced instead of users having to purchase a new machine.

As it is made to be an autonomous unit, the Electrolux PCR minimizes the physical effort a user needs to put in while cleaning. Once purchased, the computer on-board the unit does an initial scan on your house to understand the perimeter and cleaning requirements. Once preset, the PCR will do the cleaning automatically even when the floors are fitted with carpets since its sensors automatically switch gears to suit all kinds of surfaces.

Once purchased, the unit will do an initial scan of the home, using on board computers to assess which area of the house is open to it and how it can clean most effectively (both for time and energy). Defining the set bounds of the home is done by making it realize it is in an enclosed area. Once a perimeter is established, the PCR can clean daily, even if the carpet is replaced by hardwood, it can immediately adapt to the change.

To trigger the manual mode automatically, the electro sensitive sensors on the handle are programmed to recognize a human grip and as soon as you place your hand on the PCR, it switches to manual mode. After that you can use its two button system to operate it manually. A video game controller inspired stick allows users to toggle the controls and intensity of cleaning action. Reagent Canisters help the PCR deal with a wide variety of surfaces. They can be slid easily into any of the four back access ports according the internal cleaning drums though they must be replaced as they run out.

[Cheers Nicholas]