If you’ve got your eye on a new iRobot Roomba robot vacuum, you already know it can sweep or vacuum your whole home. While you can simply push the button to send out the Roomba or even ask your digital assistant to deploy it on a cleaning mission, the real power in a robot vacuum is its smarts. Today, that means enabling and using the smart mapping features.
The iRobot Roomba bot vacs launched in the last few years, including the new Roomba Combo J7+, use sensors that can “see” around a home and map the space. Why do they need to map your home? To deliver a whole new level of cleaning and customization, of course! Once the robot knows your floor plan in detail, you can unlock the power to clean zones (that always dusty area in front of the trash can, for example) or rooms (the entry that is extra dirty after the morning rush).
The newer iRobot bots have plenty of smarts and a host of sensors that help them find their way around a home. These iRobot Roomba robots use a technology called vSLAM, or visual simultaneous localization and mapping. In a nutshell, as the bot moves around, it looks for unique areas that it considers markers and then remembers where those landmarks are so it can orient itself every time it leaves the base. It uses vSLAM to create what iRobot dubs Imprint Smart Maps. Your Smart Map can store multiple maps in its memory. Check out our guide on how to use multiple maps. If you’re having trouble with your bot, resetting it can help.
The good news is that adding this detailed mapping is easy — your robot does all the work. When you first get a Roomba, it will automatically start learning your home’s layout. This may take several passes over several days, depending on how frequently you send out the bot. There are a few ways to speed up this process:
The iRobot mapping run is in essence a rolling survey where the Roomba drives all over your home without turning on its vacuum. It uses this run as a data-gathering mission only. Usually, two to three mapping runs will generate a full and complete home map.
If you want your bot to earn its keep by vacuuming while learning, it may take up to five outings before a full map is ready; this depends a bit on the size and layout of your home.
Tips for mapping your home accurately
It’s a good idea to do some quick tidying before sending your robot out on a mapping mission. Pick up anything that might tangle up the robot, put away obstacles like shoes that would prevent it from getting into certain areas, and generally ensure the bot will have access to all floor surfaces. Don’t forget to open doors to all areas you want the Roomba to potentially clean now or in the future.
It's also best to start the mapping process with the Roomba in its charging dock – otherwise, it might get confused and draw an inaccurate map. Keep in mind that backtracking and awkward movements are normal during the mapping process, and things will become more uniform as the vacuum learns your space. But if you ever feel that your robot vacuum is missing large portions of your room or isn't cleaning properly, don't be afraid to delete your map and try again.
Once you have this magical map of your home, you can use it in the following ways:
You'll also be able to assign nicknames to rooms, change the viewing orientation on your smartphone, or place virtual dividers to customize cleaning routines for specific areas.
With newer bots like the iRobot Combo j7+, your robot also has hazard recognition. This new feature will recognize and avoid tangle hazards like headphones and cords and photograph, then label them on its map so you know what areas couldn’t be cleaned. The Combo j7+ will also see other hazards like stray socks or underwear and avoid them so nothing gets caught up in the rollers. You can scoop up the hazards, and the Roomba will clean those areas next time.
The Combo j7 also has what could be called “poop recognition” in the event your pet has an accident — your bot won’t roll through it and make a yucky mess worse. It can also detect the type of surface it is cleaning, allowing it to determine whether it should function as a mop or vacuum.
Some Roomba products, such as the Combo j9+, offer a unique feature called Obstacle Image Review. When activated, you'll get alerts with images highlighting strange obstacles your robot encountered during its latest vacuum run.
For example, if you left a dog toy in the middle of your living room, Roomba will take a snapshot of the obstacle for your review. You can then tell the robot that this is a temporary obstacle that will be gone the next time it cleans. But if it tries to clean under your desk and runs into a few cables, you can instead tell it to create a Restricted Zone and permanently avoid the area.
When combined with Roomba's normal mapping process, Obstacle Image Review makes it easy to create a perfect map through regular use. Be sure to opt in to the feature if you're interested in using it. Settings can be changed in the Mapping Features section of the iRobot app.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.