Self-cleaning small appliances have been around for many years, and sweeping robots are accepted by more and more families. The increase in household penetration of sweeping robots has enabled manufacturers to develop rapidly. It is worth mentioning that the sweeping robot was first born out of the vacuum cleaner. In 1996, based on the original vacuum cleaner, Electrolux developed the world's first fully automatic sweeping robot "clover", officially creating the new category of sweeping robot. In 2000, iRobot launched a three-stage cleaning structure, which solved the problem of ground cleaning (that is, "usable"), making the sweeping robot truly have practical value, and began to enter the commercialization stage. The cleaning strategy is low in intelligence, and there are many problems such as poor cleaning effect, multiple sweeps, missed sweeps, and machine jams, which affect the user experience and popularization speed. From 2001 to 2009, the development of the industry entered a period of technological precipitation, and the navigation method combined with gyroscope and ultrasonic appeared, which gave birth to a semi-planned sweeping robot, and the degree of intelligence was improved compared with the random collision type. In 2010, Neato launched the world's first VX-11 sweeping robot based on laser ranging sensor + SLAM algorithm (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) navigation, which can automatically complete the modeling of the room environment and plan the cleaning path, which is much more intelligent than before Ascension, the industry began to enter the stage of overall planning.
China-made sweeping robots are gradually coming to the fore
In 2013, Ecovacs released the world's first Dibao 9 series with multiple functions such as overall planning, remote control, and integrated suction, sweeping, and mopping, which opened a precedent for the overall planning of domestic autonomous floor cleaning robot. However, at that time, the cost of overall planning and application was still high, and the maturity of the technology was still to be improved, so it was not vigorously promoted. In 2016, Xiaomi launched the "Mijia Robot", which combines LDS laser ranging + SLAM algorithm, and quickly became popular with its high cost performance, bringing the domestic sweeping robot industry into the era of overall planning, improving the modeling, navigation and intelligence level of sweepers . In 2019, Cloud Whale aimed at users' pain points in manually cleaning mops, and launched the "Little Beluga J1", an all-in-one scrubber and mop equipped with an automatic cleaning base station, which achieved great success under the catalysis of the 2020 epidemic. In 2020, Ecovacs launched the Dibao T8 AIVI, equipped with dToF navigation + VSLAM algorithm, to further improve the intelligent level of the sweeper. The main products on sale of Ecovacs sweeping robot include K series from Yidian and T series, N series and X series from Ecovacs. The price ranges from 799 to 5399 yuan. The mid-to-high-end (Ecovacs brand) price segment can meet the differentiated needs of multiple users. In terms of technology, Ecovacs continues to lead in product strength. It is one of the few leading companies in the market that has both LDS SLAM and VSLAM global planning products. The navigation methods of the company's products cover mainstream cutting-edge technologies on the market, including D-ToF laser navigation , AIVI visual navigation and 3D structured light navigation can realize various functions such as sweeping, mopping, self-cleaning and self-dust collection, and continue to create value increments for users.
China's sweeping robot industry is developing rapidly and the competition is fierce
From the development trajectory of the entire history of commercial floor cleaning robot, it can be seen that technological progress and mature supply chains driving down costs are the fundamental reasons for the increasingly popular products. In the process, domestic companies have been imitators from the beginning to catch up later Those who have become the industry leaders until today. With the continuous efforts of domestic enterprises, the sweeping robot has bid farewell to the impression of "pseudo-intelligence" and "not easy to use" in the random era. The product's intelligence and cleaning efficiency have been greatly improved, and it has achieved liberation in the true sense With the purpose of both hands, the ceiling of the industry is thus opened. In recent years, China's sweeping robot industry has developed rapidly. In 2017, the sales volume of China's sweeping robots was nearly 4 million units, with sales reaching 5.67 billion yuan. As the most important service robot product at this stage, the sweeping robot market has a promising future. From 2014 to 2017, the average annual sales growth rate of China's commercial floor cleaning robot industry was 65.13%. At present, the penetration rate of sweeping robots in China is at a low level compared with developed countries in Europe and the United States, and there is a large market space for the industry in the future. At this stage, the market competition in this field is relatively fierce, and many Chinese companies, such as aigostar, have actively developed their layout in this field. Not only that, but with excellent technology, domestic enterprises quickly opened up overseas markets. The most fundamental competition in the industry lies in technological innovation. Chinese companies are improving their market competitiveness through diversified tracks and forming a strong ecosystem.