ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Robots were everywhere on the Softbank Robotics stand. There was even a robot tasked with bringing people refreshments from a nearby café.

But the main focus was on Whiz, claimed to be able to outperform manual vacuum cleaners. And its benefits certainly seem to be impressive.

"The Whiz has one of the best navigation systems in the world - if not the best," said general manager Stefano Bensi. "Its compact size is also extremely convenient because it can clean in narrow corridors in places like offices, hotels and airports.

"And it is very easy and intuitive to use which means cleaners can quickly pick up how it operates."

The robot is equipped with a 3D camera and a lidar system. "These are typically the types of components used in self-drive cars," said Bensi. "The battery is also removable so it can be replaced when flat which means cleaning is uninterrupted."

Manual vacuuming can be surprisingly inefficient, according to Bensi. "When people hoover manually they tend to go backwards and forwards over the same spot which means each metre is vacuumed around 1.7 times," he said. "The Whiz will only do it once."

The machine can memorise up to 600 cleaning routes and vacuum 1,500 sq m of carpet on a single charge. It also monitors its own actions and provides reports on its performance.

Now let's return to that food delivery robot - which turned out not to be simply a gimmick.

"The food delivery market is going to explode, and we're going to be bringing these T5 food service robots to market," said Bensi.