After extensive research and development Electrolux created the fully automatic vacuum cleaner. Known as the Trilobite, the first prototype was presented to the public in 1997 on the BBC TV program, Tomorrow’s World. The production model Trilobite first hit the UK market in 2001 at a cost of around 1000 pounds.
The Trilobite is a totally new product compared to the prototype that was presented in 1997. The production product was equipped with a charging station, three cleaning programs (normal, quick, and spot vacuuming), a reusable dust box (no dust bags are needed), flexible drive wheel suspension and an LCD display. The Trilobite now also had improved sonar for navigation (more microphones and enhanced frequency), which improved its sight, a new fan system and high-performance, environmentally friendly batteries (nickel-metal hydride). The actual vacuum cleaner system had also been improved in several ways, resulting in reduced noise levels and other benefits.
A follow up revision to the Trilobite was released in 2004 before eventually being replaced with new models known as the Motion Sense and PUREi9. Today’s models are much better and cheaper then their Trilobite ancestor.
The vacuum cleaner navigates using ultrasound just like a bat. The sonar that emits the ultrasound vibrates at a rate of 60,000 Hz and is coated with a thin gold plate for best performance. The Trilobite has no problem avoiding collision with things placed on the floor for example the dog’s water bowl. Special magnetic strips are placed in doorways, near stairs and other openings. These act as a wall, keeping the Trilobite in the room. The machine contains sophisticated electronics and four motors one for each driven wheel, one for the brush and one for the fan.
The machine can find its own way back to the charger. If the cleaning hasn’t been completed when the vacuum cleaner needs to be charged, the Trilobite continues cleaning when charging is finished, after about two hours. Once cleaning is completed, the machine returns to its charging station and switches to rest mode.
Electrolux was not the only company to pioneer such robotic gadgets as more and more electronics company’s release robots on to the market. Robotics company iRobot first released their Roomba vacuum robot in 2002 while plenty of other manufacturers have also released similar robot vacuums.