Electrolux Trilobite

A silver Trilobite Version 2.0

The Electrolux Trilobite is a robotic vacuum cleaner manufactured by the Swedish corporation Electrolux. It takes its name from the extinct arthropod, which scoured the ocean's floor.

History

The prototype cleaner was first seen on the BBC television programme Tomorrow's World. It actually announced on 1 December 1997.^[1][2]

In 2001, Trilobite was launched.^[3] Model ZA1 was the world's first commercially available autonomous vacuum cleaner.^[4] The Trilobite cost around $1,500.^[5]

The second generation was released as Version 2.0 in 2004, model ZA2.^[6] It was developed in 2003.^[7]

Description

Trilobite had a weight of about 2 kg, a diameter of 35 cm, and a height of 13 cm.^[8] It features a number of casters in addition to the drive wheels. The robot has a run time of about an hour between recharging. The robot uses a semi-structured approach to traversal of rooms. The robot comes with a recharging circuit that allows extended operation for hours at a time.^[9]

The Trilobite contains a vacuum cleaner and a removable roller brush capable of working on deep-pile carpet. It has the ability to map rooms and avoid obstacles by using ultrasonic sensors and Mark 2 model also had a infrared. It recharges itself on a charging base, which it automatically finds when has completed its cleaning task or its power runs low. The Trilobite will indicate when the dustbin needs to be emptied.^[10]

Its ultrasonic sensors allow it to come within 1" of objects without colliding with them. This object detection is fairly reliable, but sometimes fails if the robot approaches an object with a sharp corner. In this case, the ultrasonic beam is not reflected, and the Trilobite will gently bump into the object. Because the Trilobite stops a short distance from walls and other objects, it leaves small areas that are not fully cleaned. The robot will drive around the boundary of the room and upon completion of the cycle it will move at random through the rest of the room.

Magnetic strips are used to block off areas that the Trilobite should not enter, and infrared sensors (on the Mark 2 model) protect it from falling down stairs or off ledges.

Electrolux has discontinued the Trilobite, removing any product information from its website, referencing instead its Wikipedia page for information.

In September 2016, Electrolux introduced the successor to the Trilobite, the MotionSense. An international version of the teaser video was released on 9 January 2017.^[11]

Patents describing features of the Trilobite

• WO 02067744 (A1) Wheel support arrangement for an autonomous cleaning apparatus.^[12]
• WO/1997/040734 Autonomous device.^[13]
• USPTO 7647144 Obstacle sensing system for an autonomous cleaning apparatus.^[14]
• US5935179A System and device for a self orienting device (the ultrasonic detection system)^[15]

See also

• Domestic robots
• List of vacuum cleaners
• Mobile robot
• Robotic mapping
• Robotic vacuum cleaner

References

1. "Electrolux Unveils Prototype For Robot Vacuum Cleaner". electrolux.se (Press release). 11 July 2000. Archived from the original on 18 June 2001.
2. "FULLY AUTOMATED HYBRID HOME CLEANING ROBOT" – via Academia.edu.
3. "Electrolux Group". Electrolux Group. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
4. "A vision becomes reality". electrolux.se. 12 February 1998. Archived from the original on 9 April 2001.
5. Rijsdijk, Serge A.; Hultink, Erik Jan; Diamantopoulos, Adamantios (1 September 2007). "Product intelligence: its conceptualization, measurement and impact on consumer satisfaction". Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 35 (3): 340–356. doi:10.1007/s11747-007-0040-6. hdl:1765/8580. ISSN 1552-7824.
6. "90 years of thinking of you – some Electrolux products that made life easier for consumers". Electrolux Group. 8 April 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
7. "Speech by Hans Stråberg at AGM". Electrolux Group. 21 April 2004. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
8. "Electrolux celebrates 100 years since launch of the LUX 1 vacuum cleaner". Electrolux Group. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
9. "Intelligent Home Appliances" (PDF).
10. "Household Robotics- Autonomous Devices for Vacuuming and Lawn Mowing" (PDF).
11. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Electrolux MotionSense robotic vacuum cleaner. YouTube.
12. WO patent 02067744A1, "Wheel support arrangement for an autonomous cleaning apparatus" 
13. WO patent 1997040734, "Autonomous device" 
14. US patent 7647144, "Obstacle sensing system for an autonomous cleaning apparatus" 
15. US patent 5935179, "System and device for a self orienting device" 

External links

• Electrolux Trilobite homepage (archived copy of trilobite.electrolux.com)
• Everyday Robots Review: Electrolux Trilobite Robotic Vacuum Archived 29 April 2005 at the Wayback Machine
• Answers to Why the Trilobite Vacuum Robot is Expensive Archived 18 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
• BBC1 television listings for Friday 10 May 1996