Review of the smart vacuum cleaner Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop

Contents of delivery

Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum comes in a voluminous cardboard box that resembles a medium-sized suitcase. The device is securely mounted on a foam tray, and is protected on top by the same cover. After examining the packaging, we came to the conclusion that its contents can only be damaged by targeted destructive actions. Let's say, with powerful blows of an ax or a bulldozer.

The package includes the vacuum cleaner itself, a charging station, a connecting wire and a small comb, which is used to clean the device’s suspension.

Equipment

Xiaomi Mijia LDS comes in double packaging. The first one is for transportation, and the second one is branded, made of thick cardboard.

The kit includes:

1. Robot vacuum cleaner.
2. Dock station.
3. Power cable.
4. Reservoir for combined cleaning: dry and wet.
5. Garbage container.
6. Microfiber cloth.
7. Two side brushes.
8. Spare HEPA filter.
9. Brush for cleaning filters.
10. User manual.

Design and device

Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum is a large white puck on wheels. Its height is 10 cm, diameter is 35 cm. The body is made of high-quality, scratch- and impact-resistant plastic.

On the top surface of the device there is a double button and a small round raised area. It contains a laser rangefinder that scans the surrounding environment to build a map of the room. There are two sensors on the sides that determine the distance to the walls. At the back of the vacuum cleaner there are two metal strips necessary for contact with the charger.

The top cover hides a container underneath for collecting debris and dust. It is made of transparent plastic, which makes it easy to determine how full it is. The container is secured with a convenient latch and can be removed with one hand in a second.

At the bottom there is a running gear, consisting of two large wheels with rubber teeth for reliable grip on the floor surface and one small swivel wheel at the front. There are also height sensors here that protect the device from falling. In the center you can see a bright orange brush for collecting debris, and a little to the side there is a side rotating brush for cleaning corners and joints.

Exploitation

Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum is, although smart, still a household appliance. Therefore, we will not delve into an explanation of the principles of operation of the sensors and the problems of choosing the optimal algorithm for cleaning a room. It’s better to give the simplest instructions that even your cat can understand.

1. After unpacking, place the vacuum cleaner on the floor. Connect the charger to a power outlet and place it near the wall.
2. Press and hold the power button for 2-3 seconds. The vacuum cleaner will turn on and go into command waiting mode.
3. Press the button again, but this time briefly. Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum will start cleaning the room.
4. Drink a cup of tea, coffee, or go about your business, trying not to disturb the robot vacuum cleaner too much.

At the beginning of each session, the vacuum cleaner scans the room and creates a diagram of walls, openings and the placement of various objects such as tables, chairs, bedside tables. After this, cleaning begins, during which Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum first passes along the walls, and then systematically processes all available space, including the most difficult to reach places. At the same time, you can, if you want, rearrange something in the room. For example, lifting chairs or moving a chair. Since the device's sensors are constantly scanning the surrounding environment, this will not cause confusion in the silicon brains. The robot will calmly rebuild the area map and clean up the vacant spaces.

After finishing cleaning, the vacuum cleaner will take the shortest route to the charging station. When approaching it, it will turn around with its back and carefully park itself so that the contacts on the body coincide with the charging contacts. If necessary, you can send Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum to charge by briefly pressing the button with the image of a house.

Robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner

I have many different sensors inside me, information from which I will send for processing to my “brain” - three processors. Using special algorithms, they will jointly process the data and, using the SLAM algorithm, create a map of the room, while determining my real location. In accordance with the received map, divided into sections, I will plan the route: first I will have to clean along the borders, then move in zigzags along the remaining territory. This way, cleaning will be done in separate areas of the room.

The LDS laser distance sensor functions as eyes to obtain information about the surrounding environment, it scans the area at a speed of 5 × 360°/sec. If a laser beam is projected onto any object that interferes with my movement, its reflections, or glare, will appear in my eyes. At the same time, the light-sensitive matrix calculates the distance from the object to the LDS sensor using the number of flare pixels.

Three separate processors are the “brains” of the robot vacuum cleaner, they copy the human thinking process, jointly collect and process information, calculate the map using location and calculations and plan the final cleaning route, which ultimately significantly increases the efficiency of the device.

Different homes are furnished completely differently, so how can you please all homeowners? The Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner has built-in 12 main types of sensors that professional robots have, and a compact body with a height of 9.6 cm will help the gadget easily cope with cleaning even in the most remote corners of the room.

The simultaneous localization and mapping method, also called the SLAM algorithm, is used in NASA's American Mars rovers, Google's self-driving cars and other high-tech projects. Thanks to this algorithm, you can calculate the information received from a laser distance sensor, gyroscope, distanceometer, accelerometer, etc., create a real map of the room space, and also determine your place on the map to guarantee a more accurate route.

Cleaning will be carried out in accordance with the zones and route developed by the SLAM algorithm. With the assistance of many sensors, the robot recognizes the location of objects on the floor surface, recognizes the size of obstacles and avoids them. To make the cleaning process more efficient, the route will first run along the walls and then zigzag to cover the entire remaining surface.

Using a built-in laser distance sensor, the Xiaomi vacuum cleaner recognizes its charger and determines its location on the map. As soon as the cleaning process is completed, the vacuum cleaner automatically returns to charging along the shortest route. If the battery level drops to less than 20% while cleaning, it will also automatically return to the charger and continue cleaning where it left off once the charge level reaches 80%.

In addition to being “smart,” the robot is also an unrivaled cleaner. The body of the vacuum cleaner fits closely to the floor, and the high-pressure fan allows you to effectively collect dust from its surface. At the same time, the brushes and rollers located around the perimeter form a volumetric cleaning system, thanks to which the Xiaomi vacuum cleaner easily sucks up surface dust, hair and crumbs, and also more thoroughly and deeply cleans the surface, including even narrow crevices in the floor covering. After cleaning, even barefoot you won’t feel a speck of dust, because the Xiaomi robot will do everything possible to give you the feeling of a comfortable and clean home.

Using imported Japanese brushless motor from NIDEC, the air flow force can reach 0.67 m³/min, and the largest suction power is 1800 Pa*. The pressure achieved by such a powerful air flow will help remove debris stuck to the floor or carpet, which will improve cleaning performance. *Experiments conducted by Shitou Laboratory show that in actual use conditions, the maximum suction power in intensive (turbo) mode is 1800 Pa.

One of the most problematic places in the cleaning process is the space near the wall; it is difficult to access and often remains dusty. Thanks to a special wall sensor, the robot maintains a distance of 10 mm from the wall, while effectively cleaning dust from the gap between the wall and the floor using rapidly rotating contour brushes.

The seven-block modular design used in manufacturing, as well as the snow-white color, allows the gadget to be elegant, minimalistic and neat. The device's height of 9.6 cm will help it easily penetrate even hard-to-reach places; the upper surface of the lid, made using IMR technology, will make the surface of the vacuum cleaner literally shine; and the high-strength impact-resistant ABS material used around the perimeter will not allow the gadget to quickly “grow old.” The bottom surface and perimeter of the gadget are made matte to avoid scratches and abrasions. For the manufacture of the charger, plastic material with the highest fire resistance level V0 was used, which increased the safety of operation.

The imported high energy density lithium ion battery from LG has an energy capacity of 5200mAH, this amount of energy is enough to work in standard mode for 2.5 hours, or to clean approximately 250 m²*, a specially designed charger with constant current and voltage will ensure deep charging of the battery, which will increase the durability of the gadget to 2 years or more. Additionally, the automatic charging feature will help me meet the needs of homeowners of all sizes*. *Data taken from experiments conducted by Shitou Laboratory on wooden floors. The battery was manufactured using a stainless steel shell, built-in PTC/CID and other safety devices. In addition, both the battery and the charger contain microcircuits for monitoring charging and electricity use, and advanced safety microcircuits of the first and second levels are also built into the battery. A variety of safety devices will help protect the battery from overcharging, complete discharge, overheating and hypothermia, short circuits, overcurrent, overvoltage and other adverse factors, extending its service life and increasing your level of safety. * * Meets the government standard GB31241-2014, also received UN38.3 air travel certificate and other international safety standards.

Using the MIJIA application, you can check the cleaning status at any time, as well as view its route. In addition, you can also schedule cleaning, for example, you can set a cleaning time before you return from work, so that when you return you can enjoy a clean floor at home. In addition, you can choose from three different cleaning modes: quiet, standard and intensive. If I run out of consumables, I can also notify you through the application, where you can also buy the parts necessary for replacement. Smart control - it really is that simple!

If you want to further delimit the cleaning area for your smart vacuum cleaner, then buy a Xiaomi magnetic strip. Magnetic tape does not require electricity and is easy to install in the home. The vacuum cleaner’s sensors immediately read the signal from the tape and understand that there is no need to clean beyond this zone. Using magnetic tape, you can create areas in your home where the vacuum cleaner will not enter.

Software

However, the number of skills of your new assistant is not limited to this. To use all its functions in full, you will need to install the MiHome application on your smartphone. It serves to manage all devices included in the Xiaomi ecosystem, so it is well known to many of our readers.

First of all, you need to add a new device to MiHome. To do this, click the plus sign in the upper right corner on the main screen of the application. Then select Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum from the list and wait for the process to complete.

The MiHome application will independently download and install the special software module required to control the vacuum cleaner, and also update its firmware. After completing these steps, you will be able to control all functions of Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum directly from your smartphone.

The main part of the application window is occupied by a floor plan with the path of movement of the robot marked on it during the last cleaning. By the way, this scheme is updated in real time, so you can, for example, be at work or traveling and watch the vacuum cleaner cleaning your apartment. But to do this, you must first create a cleaning schedule in the Timer section. The corresponding item is hidden in the MiHome settings, which can be easily accessed by clicking on the three dots in the upper right corner of the program window.

Also pay attention to the window for selecting the operating mode of the vacuum cleaner. The default is Balanced, which involves a compromise between volume and suction power. If you plan to clean at night, then the Quiet mode will come in handy. And to clean the dirtiest carpets, it is better to use the Full Speed ​​maximum power mode.

It is not always necessary to do a complete cleaning of the entire apartment. Sometimes you just need to pick up spilled debris or additionally vacuum the rug near the front door. In this case, it is possible to clean the selected area, which can be set directly in the application. Or use the built-in remote control and control the operation of Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum in manual mode.

Personal impressions

Many different devices have passed through the hands of Lifehacker this year, but the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum robot vacuum cleaner made perhaps the strongest impression. It can only be compared with the emotions from the advent of automatic washing machines in the 90s, when the whole family gathered in front of the porthole door and watched the rotation of multi-colored laundry for two hours in fascination. If you don’t see this picture yourself, ask your parents.

A robot vacuum cleaner almost completely solves the problem of cleaning an apartment or office. Without fatigue or whims, he will sweep and vacuum every day, getting to places where even the most tidy housewife does not look. All you have to do is empty the garbage container from time to time, each time wondering where he finds it. One of the few gadgets that really change life for the better.

⇡#Technical characteristics

* Average price on Yandex.Market at the time of writing.

The Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop robot vacuum cleaner is far from the first model of such devices in the Xiaomi family of household appliances. Compared to the previous model, which only had a dry cleaning function, the new product has increased suction power and a thinner body without protruding elements on top.

The manufacturer's official website provides a lot of information about the technical characteristics of the new product. The robot operates and navigates in space thanks to fifteen different types of sensors, including an upward-facing optical camera with a 166° viewing angle. Using this camera, the robot builds a map of the room, recognizes obstacles and plans a route. Also, when building a route, data coming from infrared obstacle sensors that recognize objects at a distance of up to 20 meters, a gyroscope and an additional optical sensor located on the bottom panel of the robot are used. The latter is designed to help correct the route in low light conditions.

A SoC processor with four ARM Cortex-A7 cores operating at a clock frequency of 1.8 GHz is responsible for processing a variety of data received from sensors. The manufacturer does not disclose data about the specific model of the SoC processor, but states that it contains two Mali 400 cores responsible for graphics processing.

When constructing a map, the vSLAM method is used, which allows you to simultaneously plot a route and draw up a plan for a previously unknown space. Similar algorithms are used to operate robots in the mid-price range and above. We also note that SLAM algorithms are used on many unmanned vehicles and even planetary rovers, so in a sense, the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop robot is a very distant relative, for example, of modern Mars rovers.

Smartphone control is another key feature of all Xiaomi robot cleaners. Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop does not need a separate control panel - just install the official application from Google Play or the App Store on your smartphone, after which you can connect the vacuum cleaner to your home local network and control the device, program cleaning tasks and configure it.