Artificial intelligence (Ai) is now being used in loads of our everyday gadgets. We’ve got Ai voice recognition software built into laptops and TVs — letting us access info and content almost instantly. And some of the best smartphones are using Ai to polish up photos and translate languages in real-time.
But did you know that Ai’s being used in cleaning and floorcare tech too? That's right — and we’re going to highlight some really clever Ai cleaning gadgets that’ll help you make short work of that big spring clean.
We'll also look at some futuristic cleaning inventions, giving us a glimpse of where this Ai wizardry is going…
Overview:
Ai does lots of different things to help make our lives easier, and it’s now being used to make cleaning more efficient and effective for us too. In some household cleaning tech, Ai’s being used to automate and enhance cleaning through machine learning. Some of these devices and appliances can manage schedules, detect dirt, weigh clothing, and scan different environments — all because of Ai.
What cleaning tech is using Ai?
Ai is being used in a few different bits of tech that we use to keep our homes looking spotless:
Robot vacuum cleaners are the most common cleaning gadgets you’ll find packing Ai. These small, autonomous devices quietly roam around the rooms in your house and suck up loose bits of dust and debris they find — keeping your home super clean.
While early robot vacs would bump into stuff and use random patterns to move around — modern robot vacs are much smarter. They’re fitted with sensors that detect obstacles and stairs, so they don’t damage your furniture or take a tumble!
The Samsung Jet Bot Ai+ is a great example packed with features. It uses Ai ‘Object Recognition’ to not only scan and identify things to steer clear of — but map them out too. This means it’ll remember what to avoid the next time it tackles your floors.
It also has a LiDAR sensor like many of the best robot vacuums. This beams an invisible laser light to measure distances to objects, which the Ai software uses to track its location and figure out the most efficient route around a room. All while remembering its way back to its charging dock to recharge. See? Smart!
Don’t like the idea of a robot vacuum wandering around your house? Well, you can still clean up your floors quickly and effectively with a normal vacuum cleaner that’s enhanced with Ai — like the Samsung Bespoke Jet Ai Max cordless vac.
This features an Ai mode that intelligently cleans by sensing the floor type, brush load, and air pressure. It’ll then tweak the suction power and brush speed for a perfect clean. What’s more, this mode can save energy by reducing battery power by up to 21%.
There’s also the Dyson V15 Detect and Shark Detect Pro cordless vacuums, which have sensors that work in a similar way. They analyse dust particles and increase suction power when more dust is identified.
You’re bound to do some laundry as part of your big spring clean, right? And fortunately, Ai’s even getting built into our washing machines. Some LG Ai washing machines analyse the weight and softness of your clothes, and then work out the best wash pattern to keep your garments protected so they’ll last longer.
Want beautiful clean floors without having to use that dirty old mop and bucket? There are Ai-powered robot mops out there that can cut out this chore for you too. Just fill up their tanks with water and they’re ready to shine up tiled, hardwood, and laminate floors without any physical work for you. And they can do this all while avoiding your furniture — just like their robo-vac cousins.
Ai is being used in more and more of our daily devices and household tech, and it’s only getting smarter. So, we expect to see Ai built into even more floorcare and cleaning tech in the next few years — to help us save even more time and energy.
In fact, there are already some pretty exciting innovations in the works:
Ai smart bin: In 2022, a team at the University of Technology in Sydney designed an Ai-powered smart bin that could identify and sort different types of waste — like glass bottles, metal cans, and plastics. It could even recognise various types of plastics too, which are often missorted and not properly recycled. They're aiming to eventually put these smart bins in shopping centres, airports, and schools. But hopefully, a self-sorting bin could be something we see in our homes in a few years.
Dyson’s stair-climbing vacuum: Robot vacuums have come a long way, but there's still one thing they can't do — climb stairs. Back in 2021 though, there were reports that Dyson filed a patent for a robot vac that can not only tackle a flight of steps, but clean them at the same time too. It might be a while until this sees the light of day, but the thought of vac that can clean all your floors and stairs without human intervention is seriously cool...
LG's all-in-one Ai washer/dryer: At the CES 2024 tech trade show, we saw the LG WashCombo — an all-in-one laundry solution that washes and dries clothes in under two hours. This uses Ai to detect the fabric texture, soil level, and load size, and then automatically chooses the optimal temperatures and wash/dry motions for spotless results. We will see more washer dryers using Ai to sort our laundry from start to finish in less time? It’s very likely.
World's first water-free Ai cleaning robot: Another superb innovation we saw at CES 2024 was the H1 Pro robot cleaner from 3i. It not only autonomously sweeps, scrapes, and vacuums up dirt using Ai, but it can mop floors too — without needing water. Yup, that's right. The H1 Pro recycles water by purifying wastewater into clean water and extracting moisture from the air. This means that it can carry on cleaning without you having to top up its tank or empty out any dirty water. It’s Ai-mazing!
Are Ai vacuums worth it?
Yes, absolutely. The best thing about an Ai-powered robot vacuum is that you can set it and forget it. It’ll clean your floors without you having to lift a finger. Plus, they can link up with other smart tech like your phone, which lets you schedule when your robot vac cleans certain rooms and set no-go zones — all via an app.
Some fancier models have voice recognition tech like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant too. So, you can tell it where to clean and even ask it to empty its own dust bin!
Will Ai replace house cleaners?
Ai is advancing rapidly, and while we have robots that can vacuum and mop our floors — they’re not quite clever enough to fully replace actual house cleaners. Humans can notice and clean areas that might be missed by robots, plus adapt to changing cleaning needs on the spot. Whereas robots may require reprogramming for new tasks.
Any more questions?
Looking for more cleaning tips? Check out our guide on how to wash jeans, where we denim-strate the best washing machine and hand washing methods. Or find out how to brighten your whites naturally instead.
Currys trade-in
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