Roborock Saros Z70: Vacuum robot clears away socks with gripper arm

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With laser navigation and AI-supported cameras, high-quality vacuum and mopping robots can already very confidently avoid small objects without getting stuck in them. Depending on the quality of the navigation system, they then clean the floor as close as possible around the areas. But they have not yet been able to clean the areas under the spread-out socks, slippers and toys –. They can only do this in a second round of cleaning if human hands intervene and clear away the blockages.

Roborock wants to make this human tidying aid a bit superfluous. The manufacturer of vacuum and mopping robots is equipping its new flagship model, the Saros Z70, with a gripper arm that can lift objects weighing up to 300 grams and place them somewhere else to clean the previously occupied area unhindered.

The device is celebrating its premiere at the CES 2025 technology show in Las Vegas and is likely to be one of this year's trade fair highlights. The robot is set to go on sale this year. A specific sales launch date and price have not yet been set.

OmniGrip robotic arm takes off

Robrock calls the gripper arm OmniGrip. This is a foldable, five-axis robotic arm that folds out of the cleaning robot's housing when required and disappears inside again. In addition to moving up and down, the arm can also move to the left and right. The gripper arm automatically removes obstacles after prior authorization. It should also be possible to control it remotely.

The feature is activated in the manufacturer's smartphone app. This allows you to specify which objects the arm is allowed to lift and where it should drag them to. Normally, it just moves them a little and places them in a spot that has already been cleaned. If desired, you can also define fixed storage locations. The Saros Z70 then deposits socks next to the laundry basket, for example.

App with the socks to the laundry basket

In addition to socks, Roborock has programmed towels, handkerchiefs and sandals into the gripper arm software as objects that can be put away. The manufacturer plans to teach the robot other objects via a firmware update. The arm detects what the objects are with the help of an integrated camera and other sensors. They can recognize the surroundings, position and weight of the objects. If a curious pet or small child suddenly appears during the gripping action and gets in the way of the robot arm, the device initiates an emergency stop, says Roborock.

The robot housing did not have to grow for the gripper arm shaft. It is basically similar in size to most circular vacuum and mopping robots. It is even a little flatter at the top and, with an overall height of just under eight centimeters, can get under very flat furniture to clean there too.

This is possible because Roborock does without the usual tower structure with laser sensor. Instead, laser sensors and a camera at the front and a laser sensor on the side are there to find the way and avoid collisions.

Wheel lift lifts cleaning robot over high steps

Another original talent of the Saros Z70 is its liftable chassis. If necessary, motors in the chassis lift the three wheels under the robot. This enables the vacuum and mopping robot to negotiate doorsteps up to four centimetres high. This ability also helps it to lift itself off the crossbars of tables or chairs if the wheels lose contact with the floor during a pass.

Unlike the OmniGrip gripper arm, the liftable chassis is not a first. The Saros Z70 adopts the feature from the Qrevo Curv model presented at IFA 2024. Roborock is equipping other Saros model variants shown at CES with the wheel lift. The Saros 10 and Saros 10R can also lift themselves up. However, they do not have a gripper arm.

Top cleaning tricks on board

When it comes to floor cleaning, the three Saros models offer practically all the usual facets of current top cleaning robots. They vacuum and mop the floor, and extendable brushes cover the corners. To avoid soaking carpets, the robots lift their mopping module during a pass. An included base station temporarily stores the dirt in a large bag, rinses the mops with hot water and then blows them dry.

Cleaning jobs are given using Roborock's smartphone app and the offline-capable voice assistant Hello Rocky. The Saros Z70 and its variants also get along with the Amazon Alexa and Google Home cloud chatterboxes and apps.

A planned firmware update is intended to supplement the Matter smart home standard, which allows the new Roborock robots to be integrated into other systems, provided they connect household appliances via Matter.

Heise Medien is the official media partner of CES 2025.

(nie)