4 ms·
I worked on this product back in 2002-2005. I developed the initial wheel system for this and early prototypes of their digital (switched reluctance) motor once
by tonylemesmer 12y ago
I worked on this product back in 2002-2005. I developed the initial wheel system for this and early prototypes of their digital (switched reluctance) motor once we realised we'd need a very high power density compressor motor. Sadly the battery technology has taken a long time to get to the point where it can now give a useable run time, even when the vacuum only consumes 100W (typical cabled vacuums use 1.7-2kw). Also the prices of other components, high power embedded CPUs, cameras and sensors have reduced dramatically since then. It uses an intelligent algorithm to maximise the potential of the runtime, meaning that it tries to elminiate running over the same patch of floor more than once. This is what it uses the 360 camera for and SLAM image processing and maths that I still don't fully understand :) The chap with grey hair switching it off at the end of the teaser video[1] is the brains behind all the navigation and image processing software, Mike Aldred, very clever guy.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ReNFlxqJc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ReNFlxqJc
- wlievens 12y agoDo you know which image sensors it uses?
- tonylemesmer 12y agoBack then (9 years ago mind!) it was a Sony sensor probably long obsolete now. 1024x1024 res which is shockingly low res but easily good enough for SLAM feature mapping.
- IshKebab 12y agoIt's still a Sony one. No idea which.
- martin_ 12y agoVideo caption: "16 years. 200 engineers. £28m investment. The result? Tell us what you think it is." - wow.