Migo Ascender
So far, everyone has failed: The first vacuum robot that can climb stairs
While other vacuum robots fail on doorsteps, the Migo Ascender should also be able to easily walk up larger stairs.
© Migo Robotics
Robot vacuum cleaners are a dime a dozen, but one feature has united them all so far: stairs have previously been insurmountable obstacles. A Californian start-up wants to change that soon with the Ascender.
Robot vacuum cleaners are now great talents. Some navigate safely through the apartment with cameras, others clean their own wipes. Still others can pump their wastewater directly into the house pipe and hardly need any help at all to do their work. But one problem has so far been unsolvable, no matter how expensive the robot is: If you want to use the household help in houses and apartments with several floors, you have to carry it. Stairs were previously considered an insurmountable hurdle.
The young company Migo Robotics wants to change that. On the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, the company is vying for buyers who are willing to advance the purchase price to the start-up and thus usually be among the first owners – if delivery is made. In the past there have always been large campaigns in which the money went out of the account, but the goods never arrived. Kickstarter is still not a completely safe bet.
$1.5 million in a few days
But the interest in the robot seems to be gigantic. 800,000 came within the first 30 minutes US dollars together, it is now 1.5 million US dollars from 1,740 people. The price for the currently cheapest offer is $849 for a robot, which is scheduled for delivery in July of this year.
With special wheels, the Ascender is able to climb normal stairs. Apart from that, like any good vacuum robot, it should vacuum and mop wherever it goes. Since he can “walk” stairs anyway, cleaning steps is also part of his repertoire. The Ascender can also climb spiral staircases or open steps, provided they are at least 150mm deep.
Migo has also apparently addressed the usual challenges for vacuum robots. The household helper should offer high suction power (9700 Pa) and exert sufficient pressure on the mop (17N) so that stains are actually picked up. The Ascender navigates with lidar and 3D camera systems, can avoid obstacles and, thanks to carpet detection, should not leave any stains on the runner.
Too good to be true?
Unlike the competition, the Migo is designed to create complete house or apartment maps including stairs. The battery should last for around 500 square meters, so that complete house cleaning should be possible in most cases without stopping charging.
The offer also includes a lavish station that sucks the dust out of the robot, washes the mop and refills fresh water. For the price, this would be an almost unbeatable package if Migo keeps all its promises.
After the campaign is over, the Migo Ascender will change hands regularly at a price of $1,500. It remains to be seen whether the early birds’ enthusiasm for investing on Kickstarter will pay off or whether the Migo will go down in history as vaporware – i.e. as a widely announced product that ultimately never appears.
source: Newatlas