Samsung is expanding its Powerbot line of vacuum cleaners with the forthcoming debut of its VR7000 unit at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
According to the company, the new vacuum features a slim design at less than 4 inches tall and is 28% slimmer than previous Samsung robot vacuums. The new design, company officials added, is aimed at consumers who are looking for improved automated cleaning solutions. Samsung said its internal research revealed that 39% of consumers in North America said they expect their robot vacuum cleaner to reach hard-to-reach places and have enough suction capacity to eliminate the need for manual follow-up cleaning.
The Powerbot VR7000’s Edge Clean Master feature is said to allow the unit to come within a one-half inch of the wall. Additionally, the Auto Shutter feature further meets that demand by automatically dropping down a barrier to help the unit sweep up more dust collected closer to the edges. The unit’s self-cleaning brush system is designed to reduce the amount of dust and hair that gets trapped in the bristles.
In addition, the new vacuum is equipped with several features that power the unit’s automated performance. With Visionary Mapping Plus and FullView Sensor 2.0, the VR7000 maps and remembers contours of the room to provide thorough cleaning. Later, it can guide itself to dirty areas on any surface. It can also detect and work around obstacles or small items.
The Intelligent Power Control feature automatically adjusts the level of suction power, optimizing cleaning functions according to surface type, the company said. The unit is IoT-ready, and fully controllable remotely by app. From a smartphone or other mobile device, users can start or stop the machine, schedule cleaning times, and check the cleaning history. In addition, the VR7000 is compatible with Amazon Echo so consumers can control it using voice commands.
