BERLIN–Maybe I've been watching too many murder shows lately, but Dyson's latest robot vacuum reminds me of a detective.
Unveiled at IFA, the Dyson R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV uses an ultraviolet LED to find invisible stains on your floor, like something out of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."
"Specifically, [it can detect] real nasties, things like pet urine, spilled milk, alcohol, beer," Dyson engineer Guy Turner told me. "As they dry on the floor, they become transparent; they're really hard to see."
The UV light causes those invisible dried stains to fluoresce, or glow. The Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai, introduced last year, uses a green laser to detect invisible dust, but the R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV is the company's first model to use UV light as well. After locating such gunk, the robot uses a roller mop on the bottom to wash it away.
While rare, this feature isn't entirely new. The Shark PowerDetect UV also uses ultraviolet light to seek out otherwise imperceptible stains. Dyson's R3 Nurovi Spot+Scrub UV has already received FCC approval, and is slated to go on sale in the US on Sept. 15 for $1,199. It debuts alongside the Costco-exclusive Dyson R2 Nurovi Wash+Dry ($699), which features triangular mopping pads for thorough corner cleaning, and the vacuum-only R1Nurovi Dry ($549).
While Dyson's latest models are unaffected by the foreign robot vacuum ban, the long-term future of autonomous floor cleaning in the US remains to be seen. I asked Turner about Dyson's reaction to the ban, and he said the company, which is based in Singapore, has always taken privacy and data custody "incredibly seriously." "The US is one of Dyson's biggest markets," Turner said. "Of course, we're really committed to bringing all of our new technologies and products to American consumers. We will do what it takes to make sure that happens."