Professors and students at the Novosibirsk State Technical University in western Siberia, Russia, have developed a robot designed to clean large spaces, equipped with locally made electronics and software, according to the university's media service.
The media service quoted Alexey Tsygulin, an assistant professor in the Department of Technological Machines, as saying:
"What makes this development unique is that we are creating our own technology, which allows for a low-cost and replicable machine. The project also has educational value, as it gives students hands-on skills in applied engineering, enabling them to modify, develop, and improve each component of the robot. These two aspects are fundamental to this project."
The developer explained that the robot can play soft background music while cleaning, so its approach is not startling. Its primary task is to accurately map its route and avoid collisions.
The robotic system includes a vision camera, motor control units, and remote controllers. A prototype has already been built, along with the necessary software. In the future, the team plans to install a LIDAR device on the robot, enabling it to map its environment and navigate precisely. The robot will also be equipped with a dust suction unit and is expected to have a plastic casing.
The press service added:
"Through a web interface, it will be possible to issue commands or schedule tasks, such as cleaning at specific intervals. The camera will record the robot’s location and activities, while remote measurement data will help collect information for analysis and further updates to this smart assistant."