Cleaning

iRobot has rolled out its first entry in the world of vacuum and mopping combination robots with what it says is the most advanced system of its type, featuring a retractable mop head that swings up and out of the way.

Dust and grime gathering in the grooves is a common problem faced by folks who consume music by spinning vinyl records. Startup VinylSonic is looking to clean up with an ultrasonic machine and a matching minimalist turntable.

Ordinarily, water is used to clean off the layer of dust that continuously accumulates on solar panels. In arid regions, however, doing so can be challenging. A new system addresses this problem, by substituting electrostatic repulsion for water.

In order to keep running at peak efficiency, solar panels regularly have to be cleaned of accumulated dust and other debris. Such panels can be difficult to reach, though, which is why the Helios system uses not one but two drones to do the job.

Solar panels continuously accumulate dust, plus they're often located atop tall buildings or in remote areas – this means that they need to be cleaned, but doing so is difficult. That's why a drone-based setup is now being developed to do the job.

Increasingly, robots are being used to autonomously clean floors and other surfaces in places like airports and hospitals. You have to wonder, though … how do they know when a floor is sufficiently clean? A new module could soon tell them.

If you're looking for some robotic help when it comes to keeping your home clean and tidy, Roborock is one of the biggest names in the business, and the S7 is the newest model from the brand – a robovac that we've been extensively testing in recent weeks.

Surfaces in contact with salty water usually end up with a corrosive layer of salt caked on. Now, engineers at MIT have made these minerals so easy to remove that they often just fall off on their own – by forming “crystal critters.”

Dyson has wheeled out its latest and greatest cordless vacuum, and in addition to excellent suction power it carries some typically forward-thinking bells and whistles, spearheaded by a laser to light up dusty surfaces.

The 2019 North American outbreak of E. coli contamination in romaine lettuce doubtless got many people thinking about how to most effectively wash their leafy veggies. Well, a new study suggests that using ultrasonic water may be the best way to go.

Besides laundry-washing and lawn-sprinkling, the daily washing of hair uses up a lot of water. L’Oréal's new Water Saver system is designed to help, by reportedly reducing the amount of water used in hair-washing by up to 80 percent.

Roborock makes some of the most advanced robot vacuums on the market, and has just unveiled a new flagship model as part of CES 2021. The Roborock S7 is better at handling stubborn stains, smarter in its mopping mode, and can even empty itself.