How Does A Roomba Work? Explained With Pictures - Cleaners Talk

Sensors on the Roomba are what keep it from trying to clean your pup and running at high speed into the table where your grandmother's antique sits.

It does so by using infrared beams and a photocell sensor at the front of the machine. These help the Roomba slow down when they sense an object is near. Beneath them, a touch sensor makes the Roomba stop once it bumps into an object.

Also, you might be wondering—do Roombas fall down stairs?

No, you don't. That's thanks to its infrared sensors that point straight to the ground from beneath the machine. As a result, it senses steep drop-offs before it's too late.

The other advantage of these sensors is they'll detect oncoming cords or other items that the Roomba could get tangled in.

Sensors for Dirt

Knowing how to avoid objects isn't enough for an effective Roomba—it also needs to know when it encounters an extra dirty spot.

By using piezoelectric sensors, the Roomba knows when it's in a dirty area; it can sense debris flying up and touching it. Then, when those dirt particles hit the machine, it knows to reverse so that it can go over the area again, this time at a slower speed.

The Roomba will continue cleaning the area, monitoring the dirt supply via how many electric impulses the piezoelectric sensor produces. The more impulses it has, the more dirt is present.

2. Weighing Roomba Models

As is the case for most successful pieces of technology, there are several generations of Roombas with improved functionalities in the newer models.

so, before you buy a Roomba, make sure you know how your model works and what it can—and can't—do.

There are too many variations to do these models justice here. So, read their labels to get a feel for what to expect. But to give you a base, below are some notable differences:

Roomba 692 Roomba E5 Roomba S9 Random navigation Random navigation Navigates using map No voice command Voice command Specific room cleaning One side brush & roller Two brush rollers D-shape clean corners Check Today's Price Check Today's Price Check Today's Price Roomba 692 Random navigation No voice command One side brush & roller Check Today's Price Roomba E5 Random navigation Voice command Two brush rollers Check Today's Price Roomba S9 Navigates using map Specific room cleaning D-shape clean corners Check Today's Price