If you’re looking for a robot vacuum cleaner, you’re likely to come across a myriad of options in all sorts of brands, models and price ranges. But a new player has appeared on the scene: Matic. This device, created by two former Google engineers, arrives with a bold premise-and a bold promise: to revolutionize house cleaning.
The first thing that strikes you about Matic is that it breaks away from the usual appearance of a robot vacuum cleaner. Instead of a round design, the robot is a sort of bucket with large wheels and a head that is responsible for both vacuuming and mopping the floor.
Among so many curious elements of this device, its advanced recognition system stands out. It is not limited to detecting obstacles, but is also capable of understanding what kind of floor it is cleaning and what kind of dirt it is dealing with in order to adapt its operation automatically.
This means that, for example, if it detects that a drink has fallen on the floor, it takes care of drying the affected area. While if it finds dust or other dry debris, it picks it up immediately. So far, Matic’s robot vacuum cleaner would seem to bring nothing too novel. But there is much more.
Matic, a very interesting robot vacuum cleaner
In previous lines I mentioned its advanced recognition system, and it is a good time to explore it in more detail. Unlike other smart vacuums, Matic uses 5 RGB cameras and neural networks to detect what is around it. This not only allows it to better understand what obstacles to avoid or what kind of action to take when encountering dirt; it also helps the 3D mapping of the house to be more accurate and the device to move in a more natural way.
The latter means that, instead of moving in a straight line, braking when it reaches an obstacle, turning on its axis and continuing – as any conventional robot vacuum cleaner does – it can navigate more freely and avoid anything that gets in its way. It doesn’t matter if it’s cables, furniture, toys or people.
According to its creators, Matic is the first indoor robot vacuum cleaner that takes advantage of artificial intelligence to clean the house as if it were a human. “We mimic human perception and self-learning through cameras and neural networks that enhance image recognition, decision-making and 3D mapping,” explained Navneet Dalal, co-founder and CEO of the company. The device also incorporates infrared lights for cleaning in the dark or in low-light environments.
Another point where Matic intends to revolutionize domestic cleaning is in the interaction with users. The smart vacuum cleaner incorporates microphones that allow it to give commands through speech. And it also uses its cameras to understand people’s gestures. This means that if you say “Matic, clean here,” while pointing to where the dirt is, the robot vacuum cleaner will understand the command instantly. But that’s not all, because you can send it to mop the floor of any other room in the house using your voice.
Commitment to privacy
A growing concern surrounding any robot vacuum cleaner is what happens to the images and audio it captures. Let’s not forget that, some time back, a big controversy was generated because a Roomba recorded a woman while she was in the bathroom and the photos ended up on Facebook.
However, Matic maintains that it has made a non-negotiable commitment to protect the privacy of those who buy its robot vacuum cleaner. That’s why the processing of all data that comes in through the cameras and microphones is done inside the device, and at no time is it uploaded to the cloud. The only permission that is requested is to track the use of the HEPA bags, in order to send more units if they are close to running out. The latter, however, is reserved for those who pay a subscription.
Regarding the cleaning tasks themselves, it is important to note that once the HEPA bag is full, the vacuum cleaner will park itself next to a trash can and alert the user that it needs to be emptied. According to the company, the bag can last up to a week if used daily for vacuuming and mopping floors. However, this will vary depending on the intensity of use. As for the water tank, it has a capacity of 600 milliliters.
If we focus on autonomy, the Matic robot vacuum cleaner can vacuum for up to two and a half hours on a full charge. The battery life extends for up to 3 hours when mopping floors.
The Matic robot vacuum cleaner is not cheap
If you want a Matic robot vacuum cleaner, get your wallet ready. The device is priced at $1,795, although there is a $300 rebate for those who reserve it before December 31. Deliveries will begin in March 2024.
As previously indicated, Matic will offer a subscription to users of its robot vacuum cleaner. It will guarantee a permanent supply of HEPA bags, brushes and mops. In addition, it will include an extended warranty for the first two years and coverage in case of accidental damage. Those who reserve the appliance before the end of the year will receive a free year’s membership; after the end of that period they will have to pay $180 per year.
This smart vacuum cleaner has an iPhone app from which you can program tasks or perform different actions. At the moment, there is no option for Android, but the idea is to add it in the future.