The 7 best robot vacuum cleaners with gyroscope

Are you looking for a robot vacuum cleaner but aren’t sure which kind to get? It can become pretty overwhelming when you take all the factors that come with purchasing a robot into account.

You have to think about the suction power, the type of filter, if it does both sweeping and mopping or just one of the two, and more. One of the biggest factors in deciding which kind of robot vacuum you should get is the type of navigation, as robot vacuums have laser-based navigation, camera mapping navigation, gyroscope navigation, and more.

Ranking of the 7 best robot vacuum cleaners with gyroscope

Based on: 34,545 user reviews 8 expert reviews

Rank	Image	Robot vacuum cleaner	Score	Verdict	Price
1		Roborock E4	91	Good	$250
2		Eufy RoboVac G30	86	Good	$230
3		iRobot Roomba i3+	86	Good	$490
4		iRobot Roomba i3	84	Satisfying	$299
5		Tikom G7000	84	Satisfying	$140
6		Yeedi k650	82	Satisfying	$125
7		ZOOZEE Z50	82	Satisfying	$130

See all 60 best robot vacuums here.

Specification comparison

What is gyroscope navigation?

A gyroscope is “a device containing a rapidly spinning wheel or circulating beam of light that is used to detect the deviation of an object from its desired orientation” [1]. Gyroscopes can sense a change in the orientation of a device and are often used to steer an object automatically [2]. They are often found in compasses and other automatic pilot systems on ships and aircraft as well as in various objects that might need a steering mechanism: torpedoes, space launch vehicles, ballistic missiles, and orbiting satellites.

To understand how robot vacuums equipped with a gyroscope navigation system work, you’ll need to understand the inertial navigation system (INS), which is a self-contained navigation technique that uses accelerometers and gyroscopes to track the position and orientation of an object in relation to its known initial starting pose [3]. In objects equipped with an INS, accelerometers are used as motion sensors, and gyroscopes are used as rotation sensors. As a result, inertial sensors can estimate both the position and orientation of the object [4].

A robot vacuum cleaner equipped with gyroscope navigation is able to indicate orientation and thus navigate its way around your home without having to be controlled remotely. It is able to detect obstacles and objects, such as walls, doors, and pieces of furniture, so as to avoid bumping into them while cleaning [5].

Pros and Cons

Pros

• They don’t need supervision all the time: If you need to leave your home or tend to your work but would like to set a cleaning schedule, having a robot with gyroscopic navigation is a big help because all you need to do is set the schedule, and it will do the cleaning for you. Robots with gyroscopic navigation don’t need to be supervised or guided through an app or remote control. Their sensors help them navigate, so they don’t fall off stairs or bump into walls, furniture, and other objects.
• They are less expensive than robots with laser-based navigation: Robots with laser-based navigation can cost several thousands of dollars, especially those with higher specs. If you’re looking for a robot that maps the floor but costs a lot less, you can get one that has a gyroscopic navigation system.

Cons

• Their navigation isn’t very accurate compared to other robots: If you’re looking for a robot vacuum with high-precision navigation and mapping, a robot vacuum with gyroscope navigation isn’t the one for you. It isn’t as accurate in terms of maps and measurements compared to robot vacuums equipped with laser or camera-based technology.
• They are more expensive than other robots (e.g. those with bounce navigation): Gyroscopes, while they may be more affordable compared to robot vacuums with laser or camera-based navigation, aren’t very cheap, especially robot vacuums that have simpler navigation systems, such as bounce navigation. They are also a lot more expensive than traditional vacuum cleaners. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a robot vacuum that will do floor mapping for you, a robot vacuum with gyroscope navigation is a lot cheaper than the other options in the market.

Alternatives to gyroscope navigation

If you aren’t sure gyroscopic navigation is the way to go when buying a robot vacuum for your home, there are different kinds of robot vacuum cleaners equipped with various kinds of navigation technologies. Some of them are the following and can be considered good alternatives to a robot vacuum cleaner with gyroscope navigation:

Laser-based navigation

Robot vacuums with laser-based navigation use light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to help navigate around your home. They are able to operate in total darkness and map a room precisely, which makes them one of the more expensive kinds of robot vacuums in terms of navigation [6].

Camera-based navigation

Some robot vacuums are equipped with cameras that allow the robots to take snapshots of their surroundings in order to create a map of the house. Because they need light to function, they are not able to navigate in the dark, as compared to robots with laser-based navigation. Their mapping is also not as accurate.

Bounce navigation

Robots with bounce navigation have a simple behavioral pattern. They keep on going straight until they hit something. They will then stop, turn an angle away from the object they have hit, and move on straight again. The downside of this is that the robot does not follow a certain path while cleaning, nor does it create a map of your whole house [7].

Resources

• [1] Gyroscope | Britannica https://www.britannica.com/technology/gyroscope
• [2] What is Gyroscope? Gyroscopes review, use, types, advantages & disadvantages | Online Sciences https://www.online-sciences.com/technology/what-is-gyroscope-gyroscopes-review-use-types-advantages-disadvantages/
• [3] Inertial Navigation System | ScienceDirect https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/inertial-navigation-system
• [4] Design of Autonomous Cleaning Robot by Lakshmi Bangalore Gangadharaswamy | Tampere University https://trepo.tuni.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/118774/BangaloreGangadharaswamyLakshmi.pdf
• [5] Accelerometer vs. Gyroscope: What’s the Difference? | Live Science https://www.livescience.com/40103-accelerometer-vs-gyroscope.html
• [6] The 10 best robot vacuums with laser navigation | Reoverview https://reoverview.com/robot-vacuums-with-laser-navigation/
• [ 7] Appliance Science: How robotic vacuums navigate | cnet https://www.cnet.com/news/appliance-science-how-robotic-vacuums-navigate/