Could Be The Moment When The Robotic Vacuum Truly Transforms Into A ROBOT?

At CES 2025, Roborock unveiled its first robotic vacuum equipped with a mechanical arm capable of grasping flexible objects. This innovation aligns closely with the direction pursued by leading embodied AI companies. It’s easy to imagine that robotic vacuums, which once only possessed path-planning capabilities, are now inevitably being drawn into the competitive landscape of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) in the wake of the AI revolution.

Roborock revealed its latest robotic vacuum, the Saros Z70, which will replace the flagship S8 MaxV Pro Ultra. While the overall design remains similar to previous models, the Saros Z70 features a new mechanical arm, known as OmniGrip, as opposed to the "mechanical foot" previously seen in the industry. This innovative arm allows the robot to autonomously grasp and remove small obstacles located in front of it.

Additionally, the Saros Z70 does away with the traditional LiDAR sensor and is instead equipped with Roborock's proprietary "StarSight Autonomous System 2.0," a new mapping and navigation system. This system combines 3D ToF technology and an RGB camera, enabling faster and more precise map construction. More specifically, OmniGrip is a five-axis mechanical arm on the Saros Z70, equipped with high-precision sensors, a camera, and an LED lighting system. Typically, OmniGrip remains folded inside the robot, but once an obstacle is detected, the arm extends to attempt to grasp and move it.

According to official data, OmniGrip is capable of picking up objects weighing up to 300g, and can transfer these items to pre-designated locations. Afterward, the robot returns to previously marked cleaning dead zones to continue its work. This feature effectively addresses a common issue faced by most robotic vacuums, which often create cleaning blind spots due to detours around obstacles. OmniGrip is said to be able to identify 108 types of common objects and allows users to label up to 50 custom items in their homes. All this data is stored locally, without being uploaded to the cloud, ensuring privacy is protected.

In addition to the Saros Z70, Roborock has introduced two more basic versions of the Z70— the Saros 10R and Saros 10. The Saros 10R offers a more cost-effective option by removing the mechanical arm, while the Saros 10 retains the LiDAR sensor but has been optimized for smarter performance.

However, the Saros Z70 is still in the development stage and is expected to be launched later this year. The exact price has not yet been disclosed.