The vacuum loving folks at Dyson have stayed out of the robotic vacuum cleaner space for quite some time. Apparently they have been a few years and millions of dollars trying to get things right before releasing a robotic vacuum. The Dyson 360 Eye Robotic Vacuum Cleaner is their first attempt.
A major difference between the Dyson 360 Eye and the competition is the use of a 360 degree camera that is mounted on top of the unit. This camera allows the Dyson 360 Eye to accurately map its surroundings. This means that the robot will not aimlessly wander around the room bumping into things like the iRobot Roomba type gadgets. The 360 Eye mapping is done at 30fps and uses reference points in the room to stay on track with the cleaning job. The beater brush is made of nylon and carbon fiber bristles and is used to kick the dust up into the suction stream of the V2 digital motor. The dust storage tank is 0.4L and the battery life is about 20 minutes.
Expect to see the Dyson 360 Eye in Japan first for undisclosed price.