Robot Reviews

August 2024: Kress announced mowers with GPS guidance replacing need for embedded boundary wires or other markers, more like an indoor vacuum. $2400 for 1/4 acre capacity, more for larger. Typical cost given large battery requirements etc. compared to simpler vacuums. https://www.kress.com/en-us/rob...

Europe blocked the merger, abandoned. Reports IRobot laid off 1/3 of staff.

When on the charging dock it is powered by the dock without need for batteries, so if the USB com port is inactive when on the dock, no lights etc. on the dock then it would appear the main system board has a defect. See if it is still under warranty. Skilled hobbyists can replace system boards but ...

Could be a fault in system board battery charging components or in the power management IC in the lithium battery pack. These lithium Neato batteries have "smart" features with a serial number etc. embedded. "new battery" option in menu when replacing etc. See other thread on D5 ...

Introduced Jan.'24 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Las Vegas: New expanded Eufy model: https://www.zdnet.com/article/eufy-debuts-the-x10-pro-omni-robot-vacuum-and-mop-at-ces-2024/ Unusual new entry, Matic, very different than traditional design: https://www.wired.com/story/matic-robot-vacuum-first-l...

Sounds like some voltage regulator supplying that resistor may have failed, over-loading it, but not an engineer. Extremely old model, not made for decades use. Could replace that resistor with a higher wattage capacity rating, but issues with how it got over-loaded, what else may be defective. Repl...

I use the iLife W400 Shinebot (also a higher model) years now, which extracts water, spinning mop brush. Some posts on it here somewhere I made. Only one like that found. Amazon distribution developed recent years, or try ebay, mfg. direct, aliexpress. It also has a very low bumper sensor deflecting...

Under European Union review for anti-trust concerns July 2023, expected decision Nov. 15.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/6/23628 ... estigation

[edit] News January 19, 2024: European Union likely to block acquisition.

it might be best to tape or something to depress the button. I think the button is pressed when the wheels are up, bot flat on floor. Not sure how this would affect navigation. You might be able to repair the switch, attach some sort of strip. Such switches are inexpensive. You could also short out ...

Possibly the microswitch used to detect the wheel suspension arm is extended (side lifted), but don't have the vacuum to examine. Such switches are standard electronic parts in various sizes and features, not unique vacuum parts. Need to disassemble the wheel mounting further. The thin metal strip i...

Batteries lose capacity as they wear with reduced run time a typical indicating symptom of wear -- it helps to know how many times the robot has been run -- battery life measured in number of charging cycles, maybe only 200 on original NiMh batteries. Most replacement batteries probably have some hi...

https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/22/23733363/dyson-robot-vacuum-dyson-360-vis-nav "Dyson’s taking another crack at the robot vacuum market in the US following the failure of the Dyson 360 Eye — which it launched in 2016 and then quickly stopped selling here, saying it was “ill-suited to US homes...

The way these things get serviced is replacing parts -- including system boards -- till it works, expensive if not a shop with spares. If all the sensors check out with Neato Control for Windows or Toolio -- pushing the bumpers etc. observing real time data -- the system board is suspect. There migh...

Besides any server issue, the supplies such as brushes and filters, and most importantly the large battery, may not be available after another five years. There are after-market suppliers of these now, and over time their market will dwindle so not clear how much beyond five years, if even that, tho...

I am not familiar with private server tech but their server will operate another five years. A server is needed only for remote control of the robot with a phone; it will still do cleaning with the manual or IR Remote controls. As their server runs proprietary software I wonder how that could be rep...

https://www.techhive.com/article/1803382/neato-robotics-is-shutting-down-robot-vacuums.html "Neato Robotics, the company behind the Neato brand and its distinctively “D”-shaped robot vacuums, is closing up shop. A spokesperson for Germany’s Vorwerk Group, which acquired Neato back in 2017, told...

Intermittent and varied failures are difficult to diagnose and may involve multiple failure points (we cannot run logging software in it like a PC). Sounds like the system board may be flaky. The way to tell is try a replacement. They are not really made to do component level repairs, shops would ju...

Use Neato Control for Windows with USB connection to test the Wall Sensor, moving hand in and out. When phantom, false wall indications occur, the robot thinks it is confined to a small area, typically circling. Check the lidar while at it.

If known good batteries read false temps over USB, it is likely the system board interface. If the battery has analog thermistor connections, the components can be checked with an ohm meter -- resistance falls with higher temperatures. Put the battery in the fridge a while and view the change in res...

Thermistor sensors inside the battery packs can be shown over USB with the Neato Control program for Windows or Neato Toolio also for Android. If they are reading hot invalid, there could be a defect in the packs. Not sure what model i DC01. Newer Botvac's use "smart" batteries with a proc...