Dyson’s latest robot vacuum cleaner filed under FCC

Image Courtesy: The Verge

Dyson’s most recent vacuum cleaner, the strangely labelled 360 Heurist, was not released in the United States, ostensibly because its design was unsuitable for the architecture of American houses. However, it appears that the firm intends to introduce a new robovac in the United States soon after filing information of an unreleased device with the FCC. Photos in the file appear to indicate a new design that is broader and flatter than its predecessors, with a squared-off back and a bigger charging base.

The unannounced robovac features tank treads and a removable dust bin, exactly like Dyson’s earlier ventures into this product category. The gadget (labelled RB03) also appears to include the Heurist’s 360-degree camera with LED lighting ring. Those LEDs are significant because they let the gadget navigate in the dark, which is useful if you want your robovac to clean while you are away or fast asleep.

The device’s branding indicates that it will also utilize Dyson’s latest Hyperdymium motors. This is just Dyson’s term for its most recent brushless electric motors, which have featured in the company’s most recent stick vacuums. It also appears that you may remove some of the internal tubing that links the bin to the brushes. That would be a good improvement, since the 360 Heurist has a tendency to clog while cleaning huge amounts of debris.

The most intriguing update for this product is its new shape. Dyson’s earlier vacuums, the 360 Eye and 360 Heurist, were higher and narrower than competing devices from iRobot and others. This helps them to corner more tightly around things like chair legs, but it prevents them from cleaning beneath some furniture. The actual proportions of this new product are difficult to determine (despite the inclusion of rulers in images, the perspective is unclear), but it appears to be broader and flatter than the Eye and Heurist. This would be consistent with Dyson’s previous observations that the Heurist was not quite appropriate for US households. Allowing the vacuum to go under more pieces of furniture would undoubtedly boost sales.

Of course, there is no assurance that this device will be sold in the United States, but an FCC filing clearly indicates that this is Dyson’s present intent. We anticipate hearing more about this product in the near future.