When choosing a robot vacuum for an apartment over 80 m², which navigation methods do you find more reliable? 1) Laser scanning sensor (LIDAR); 2) Visual camera-based system (SLAM); 3) A combination of both. Share which option you'd prefer and why: positioning accuracy, obstacle avoidance, or cost/complexity? Your opinion will help gather data for comparison.
What type of navigation do robot vacuums prefer for large spaces?
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For large areas, I'd prefer a hybrid approach—a combination of LIDAR and visual SLAM. LIDAR quickly builds a reliable floor plan with accurate distance measurements, which is especially valuable in long corridors and with reflective surfaces where the camera might "get lost." The visual system, in turn, refines the map, recognizes surface types and small obstacles (like a rug or a barrier), and helps correct gyroscope drift.
Pure LIDAR models are often cheaper, but without visual refinement, they can miss small objects and sometimes "jump" over thresholds. A pure camera-based SLAM approach provides good positioning but can degrade in bright or high-contrast environments. Combining both technologies offers more stable navigation, better obstacle avoidance, and an acceptable trade-off between cost and implementation complexity. So, for apartments over 80 m², I consider the hybrid option the most reliable.