Neato Robotics
Encyclopedia
Neato Robotics is a robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...

 company located in Newark
Newark, California
Newark is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It was incorporated as a city in September 1955. Newark is an enclave, completely surrounded by the city of Fremont. Its population was 42,573 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...

, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. Their product, the Neato XV-11 robotic vacuum cleaner, began selling in 2010 for $399.00. The company has around 25 employees, and in 2009 attracted $15 million in funding.

Unlike the Roomba
Roomba
The Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners sold by iRobot. Under normal operating conditions, it is able to navigate a living space and common obstacles while vacuuming the floor...

 vacuum cleaner which goes randomly around a room, the Neato robot travels in straight paths with minimum of overlap, with the help of a laser range finder, which sweeps around in a full 360° circle, and the SLAM
Simultaneous localization and mapping
Simultaneous localization and mapping is a technique used by robots and autonomous vehicles to build up a map within an unknown environment , or to update a map within a known environment , while at the same time keeping track of their current location.- Operational definition :Maps are used...

algorithm which allows it to map the room being vacuumed while it is completing its task.
The XV-11 is able to locate its charger and charge itself when running out of energy, and has sensors which prevent it from falling off stairs. In case the robot is used in a house larger than what it can cover with one battery charge, the robot is able to continue cleaning after recharging its batteries at the exact spot, where it left off the previous session.

Models

Neato Robotics currently has three models on the market: the original XV-11 (green), the European XV-15 and the XV-12, sold only at Target (white). Despite the different model names and colors, all three robots are identical (except the plug at the end of the power cord that varies depending the market).

Firmware

Neato XV robots support a user upgradeable firmware, that allows the company to correct problems and improve efficiency of the products without recalling and repairing them at a central location. The latest available firmware has version number 2.4 and it brings spot cleaning mode to the robot. Although the firmware is compatible with all three models, all XV-15 and XV-12 models are shipped with this or newer firmware
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