With 3D cameras and AI: Anker robotic lawnmower works without a perimeter wire
Without boundary wire and real-time kinematics: the Eufy E15 and E18 robotic lawnmowers use a sophisticated camera system for orientation.
(Image: heise online, dahe)
No perimeter wire, no RTK (Real Time Kinematic) antenna for a satellite connection: The Anker eufy E15 and E18 robotic lawnmowers use a sophisticated camera system to find their way around the garden. The two devices presented at the MWC are the first robotic mowers from Anker. Externally, they are hardly distinguishable from each other. The only difference is that the E18 can mow a 1200 square meter lawn, while the E15 can only manage areas of up to 800 square meters. According to the manufacturer, the reason for this is a better navigation system in the E18.
Anker is asking a price of 1500 euros for the eufy E18, while the E18 costs 1800 euros. This means that both are among the cheaper robot mowers without a perimeter wire. Anker's competitor Dreame recently made its debut as a robot mower manufacturer with the €2000 A1. The Ecovacs Goat G1, for example, which scored points in the test with a flexible mobile radio modem and sensitive obstacle detection, among other things, is less expensive.
(Image:Â Anker)
Anker equips the two mowers with three cameras each, one of which Anker describes as a semantic AI camera, plus two stereoscopic cameras. The mowers are equipped with LED lights so that they can see even in suboptimal lighting conditions. This should enable the robots to find their bearings and recognize obstacles at all times. When the robots are not mowing, they find shelter in a charging station with a roof. The robots themselves are protected against rain in accordance with IPX6. They carry out the initial set-up in the garden all by themselves, using their sensors to map the area to be mowed themselves when they have to mow an unfamiliar plot for the first time.
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The eufys shear the lawn at a cutting height of 2.5 to 7.5 centimetres on a cutting width of 20.3 centimetres and, according to the manufacturer, remain less than 55 dB loud. They can climb slopes of up to 40 percent. Anker specifies a running time of up to 110 minutes before the mowing bots have to return to the charging station. After a two-hour stay there, they should be fully charged again.
(rbr)
