Chinese company Roborock offered a sneak peek at CES 2026 of an autonomous vacuum cleaner that doesn\u2019t just avoid stairs, but actively climbs and cleans them.<\/p>\n
This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker.
In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker.<\/p>\n
Roborock introduces world\u2019s first automated vacuum that actually cleans as it climbs<\/p>\n
At CES, where companies not only imagine but actually demonstrate concepts that define what our lives may look like in years to come, Chinese company Roborock offered a sneak peek at what could become one of the most practical breakthroughs in home robotics in years: an autonomous vacuum cleaner that doesn\u2019t just avoid stairs, but actively climbs and cleans them.<\/p>\n
Still in development, the company\u2019s Saros Rover represents a true industry breakthrough.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really excited about this product,\u201d said Katie Leonowitz, Roborock\u2019s public relations manager for North America. \u201cNot only does it climb stairs, but it also cleans the stairs as it goes, which is the first robot model in the market that can do so.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really exciting stuff because obviously, as you clean your home and it goes between different floors, there are still those in-between area that the user has to handle themselves,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
That distinction \u2014 cleaning while climbing \u2014 is what separates Roborock\u2019s prototype from earlier stair-climbing concepts that focused more on mobility than utility. In most multilevel homes, robotic vacuums still stop short at the edge of a staircase, leaving users to manually tackle those in-between gaps.<\/p>\n
While still in research and development, Roborock brought its Saros Rover working prototype to CES to demonstrate both its ambition and its progress.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a pretty good prototype, so that\u2019s why we wanted to show it at CES,\u201d Leonowitz said. \u201cWe expect there are going to be slight improvements made throughout the next year or so. Hopefully in 2027 we can see a little bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n
That timeline underscores CES\u2019 role as a showcase for forward-looking ideas in addition to finished consumer products.<\/p>\n
Yet, Roborock\u2019s presence wasn\u2019t just about the future.<\/p>\n
The company already holds a strong position in the robotic vacuum market, with a broad lineup of products currently in homes across the globe; the company is already escalating its product portfolio well beyond solely indoor cleaning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re expanding not just our indoor cleaning line but also outdoor cleaning,\u201d she said. \u201cOur yards are something that also take a lot of time for us to maintain and look all nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among those outdoor innovations are new robotic lawnmowers, with three different models designed for a range of yard sizes and complexities. According to Leonowitz, Roborock is combining satellite navigation with lidar to handle everything from wide-open lawns to more challenging, tree-filled environments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe satellite technology is good for larger yards, maybe yards that don\u2019t have as much dense foliage,\u201d she said. \u201cThen lidar is good for more complicated terrain or yards and can tackle those trees, because it can communicate with the robot and make sure it\u2019s navigating and getting every single square inch of your yard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like the stair-climbing vacuum, these lawnmowers emphasize coverage and autonomy. They also feature four-wheel drive, enabling them to climb steep hills \u2014 another example of Roborock\u2019s focus on areas that traditionally require manual effort.\n<\/p>\n
While Roborock attracted huge crowds throughout CES, deploying such entertaining trade show tactics as dance routines and flash mob activations, several other companies \u2014 including Narwal, Dreame, Eufy, Eureka and others \u2014 presented their own takes on this burgeoning product line.<\/p>\n
Ecovacs Robotics, for example, used CES 2026 to introduce its new DEEBOT X12 OmniCyclone and T90 Pro Omni robot vacuums, which feature such enhancements as stain pretreatment, longer mop rollers and a smart mop cover to better protect carpets.<\/p>\n
Legacy brands Samsung and LG also stepped up their robot vacuum game.<\/p>\n
Samsung\u2019s Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra introduced advanced navigation and liquid sensing. LG brought a model featuring a built-in station designed to fit under kitchen counters \u2014 a clever, space-saving idea that garnered a CES Innovation Award for its steam mop and sterilization system.<\/p>\n
Clearly, there is still not only a need, but also considerable room for extended product applications.<\/p>\n
So, what\u2019s the main difference?<\/p>\n
When asked what sets Roborock apart from competitors already experimenting with stair mobility, Leonowitz quickly pointed to the company\u2019s core philosophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI is the underpinning of all of our technology,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what makes it incredibly smart.\u201d<\/p>\n
When paired with lidar-based mapping, Roborock\u2019s AI-driven machines perceive their environment in detail and adapt over time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re always trying to improve on that, even with our other models from our other series,\u201d she added. \u201cWe just want to try and get the most advanced AI out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, will products such as the Saros Rover eliminate the need for hand vacuuming for good?<\/p>\n
Well, that\u2019s certainly up to the residents of each individual household. But one thing\u2019s for certain, Roborock has given us a glimpse into a future where even the most inconvenient corners of home maintenance are handled quietly, autonomously and intelligently, one step \u2014 and now one stair \u2014 at a time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chinese company Roborock offered a sneak peek at CES 2026 of an autonomous vacuum cleaner that doesn\u2019t just…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":399529,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[184516,192899,192900,192901,148605,74],"class_list":{"0":"post-399528","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-ces-2026","9":"tag-roborock","10":"tag-robotic-vacuums","11":"tag-robovacs","12":"tag-steve-winter","13":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=399528"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399528\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/399529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=399528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=399528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=399528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}