Dyson launches three Nurovi robot vacuums with UV spill detection and triangular mop pads
Dyson launches Nurovi robot vacuums in Berlin, with UV spill detection on the flagship and triangular mop pads on the R2.
The Nurovi name blends Dyson's Neural Intelligence technology with its Vision system. The three bots are the R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV, the R2 Nurovi Wash+Dry and the R1 Nurovi Dry. Both the R3 and R2 combine vacuuming with mopping, while the R1 is a vacuum-only model.
The top-end R3 is a second-generation version of last year's Spot+Scrub Ai, designed to find and clean concentrated messes. It now uses UV light to reveal the invisible film left when liquid spills dry. 'As the robot's running around your home on its mission, it will now expose these totally invisible stains that become breeding grounds for bacteria,' Dyson senior design manager Nathan Lawson-McLean told TechRadar. The machine scrubs the stain, then turns around to inspect its work and repeats if necessary.
Lawson-McLean said the system recognizes a wide range of residues, including most sugary drinks, tonic water, sparkling water and milk. 'I find you'd be surprised what fluoresces — a bit like a bowling alley in your own home,' he added.
The R2, meanwhile, relies on two mop pads shaped like Reuleaux triangles rather than the roller mop used in the R3. The triangular pads move in tandem, creating a straight-edged mopping stroke with no central gap, and one pad can extend outward to get closer to room edges.
Both hybrid models use water heated at their docking stations to help break down grease and dried-on dirt. The R3 heats water to 70°C, and the R2 to 75°C. To conserve battery, heating is done at the dock; when the water in the robot's tank cools below a set temperature, the vacuum returns to the dock for a fresh supply of hot water.
The R2 and the vacuum-only R1 share a 'Twin-capture system' that separates fine and coarse debris. Lawson-McLean explained that traditional robot vacuums with a single roller must balance a large opening for big debris against efficient airflow for fine dust. Dyson's design instead has a wide open brush bar area for chunks and a separate sealed airflow path optimized for fine particles.
Both the R2 and R1 also include a piezo sensor derived from Dyson's stick vacuums, which measures the size and amount of dust on the floor and automatically adjusts suction power in Auto mode to save battery.
The launch follows a checkered history for Dyson in robot vacuums, with the earlier 360 Vis Nav criticized as overpriced for its feature set and for navigation weaknesses.