Dyson put someone else’s motor in its robot vacuum | The Verge

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Dyson put someone else’s motor in its robot vacuum

The $1,200 Spot + Scrub Ai robot vacuum ditches Dyson’s motor and navigation tech for third-party solutions — a first for the company.

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Dyson’s newest robot vacuum adds mopping capabilities but takes away the Dyson motor of its predecessor.

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Dyson, a company built on engineering high-speed motors, has confirmed to The Verge that its newest robot vacuum doesn’t use a Dyson motor. The recently launched Spot & Scrub Ai robot vacuum and mop was “co-engineered,” Nathan Lawson Mc Lean, senior design manager at Dyson, told The Verge.

According to Lawson Mc Lean, the device merges “new and already existing Dyson technologies with other platforms.” Specifically, the new lidar-based navigation tech and the robot’s vacuum motor were developed by a third party. “It’s not one of our V10 motors; it’s one of our partner technologies,” said Lawson Mc Lean.

“It’s not one of our V10 motors, it’s one of our partner technologies.”

The fact that Dyson had help with its newest robot vacuum was suspected from the day it was announced late last year. The Spot + Scrub is a complete departure from Dyson’s previous models and has obvious similarities to other robot vacuums on the market. But this is the first time Dyson has admitted that it had help building its flagship robot vacuum.

Outsourcing manufacturing of key components is far from unusual in the world of robot vacuum manufacturers or manufacturing in general. But for a company that built its brand on high-speed motors and cyclonic vacuum technology, it’s a surprising move.

The Dyson Spot + Scrub is Dyson’s first robot vacuum with a multifunctional dock that can empty the robot’s bin, wash its mop, drain and refill its water tanks.

So, why did Dyson ditch its signature technology for its latest robot vacuum? Speed and cost, according to Lawson Mc Lean. “We really wanted to enter the market in this new space of wet and dry and self-emptying,” he said. “And how could we quickly do that?” The answer: Get help.

While Dyson has been developing robotic floor-cleaning machines since the early 2000s, it’s years behind Chinese competitors like Roborock and Ecovacs, and even US-based i Robot, maker of the Roomba. The latter made a similar pivot from vision-based navigation to lidar last year, working with the Chinese original design manufacturer Shenzhen Picea Robotics to produce an entirely new line of Roombas.

Dyson would not confirm which partner it worked with, but Reddit sleuths and industry observers have identified it as Picea, which also works with Xiaomi, Anker (Eufy), and Shark, among others. (Picea recently purchased i Robot following its bankruptcy.)

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Dyson’s previous attempt at robot vacuums — including the 360 Eye and the 360 Vis Nav — featured Dyson high-speed motors. They were excellent vacuums, but they struggled with navigating autonomously. Both bots used camera-based v SLAM navigation, which was slow and unreliable.

With the Spot + Scrub, Dyson worked with “a partner” to add the more reliable lidar-based navigation tech. Based on reviews, it has been a big upgrade. The shift was clearly needed to keep the company competitive in a crowded market. But, in the process, they also dropped Dyson’s best feature: its powerful motor.

Lawson Mc Lean claims this tradeoff only tells half the story. “We never look at motors by themselves. […] the ducting, the inlet pressure, outlet pressure, etc. of the Spot + Scrub, all have a huge amount of Dyson engineering wrapped around it,” he says.

Additionally, he says much of the robot uses “new and already existing Dyson technologies,” including the Dyson-developed AI stain detection, 12-point hydration system for the self-cleaning wet rollers, and the “Cyclonic” bagless dock — part of the company’s first multifunction robotic dock.

The Dyson Vis Nav, Dyson’s previous robot vacuum, features a Dyson-designed motor that’s more powerful than the one in the Spot + Scrub.

But it’s still a Dyson vacuum without a Dyson motor, and in The Verge’s testing, the Spot + Scrub’s vacuuming performance was significantly worse than Dyson’s previous robots, particularly on carpet.

While he declined to share any future roadmaps, Lawson Mc Lean hinted that Dyson could be working toward a robot that will successfully combine Dyson’s motor technology and vacuuming heritage with its advances in mopping technology, machine learning, and the key features of robotic vacuums. But the Spot + Scrub is not that. Instead, he says, it’s a “balancing act,” a product designed to keep Dyson competitive in a market where it has so far failed to make a significant impact.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Close Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Senior Reviewer, Smart Home Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Follow See All by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

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