[sigwinch28]

This article is good, but it misses out a few more essential features about the device which make it a little bit more intelligent than they've discovered so far:

- It has infrared proximity sensors spread around the bumper which allow it to slow down before hitting a wall or other large flat surface, avoid it entirely (for example to turn around and shoot off in another direction), or do quite precise edge cleaning without relying on the bumper. This works best on walls or skirting boards.

- The base station has an infrared beacon which the robot uses to find id. Furthermore, the robot can judge whether it is on or off-axis relative to the base station (i.e. whether it is lined up straight or not). The robot doesn't just dive in from any angle: it tries to line up first.

- It has some level of stall detection for its motors: if the brushes or wheels get stuck on something, it will stop. The internet-connected versions of these vacuums will send out a notification when this happens.

[JoBrad]

It’s sort of cool to watch it through an infrared camera. The front proximity sensor is like a set of headlights.

[theincredulousk]

Thanks the burning question I had was how it finds the base station again after roaming.