A method of controlling movement of a robotic cleaning device over an area to be cleaned. The method includes acquiring a visual representation of the robotic cleaning device on a display of a wireless communication device, identifying the robotic cleaning device in the visual representation, computing a coordinate transform between the visual representation and a robotic cleaning device coordinate system, creating an instruction by receiving user-indicated spatial information on the display or how the robotic cleaning device should move over the area to be cleaned, applying the transform to the spatial information, transforming the spatial information to the robot coordinate system, and sending the instruction to the robotic cleaning device via wireless communication, to cause the robotic cleaning device to move over said area in accordance with the transformed spatial information.

A vacuum cleaner that includes a suction source configured to generate a suction airflow, a dirt collector in fluid communication with the suction source and configured to separate debris from the suction airflow and the dirt collector is configured to store the debris separated from the suction airflow. The vacuum further includes an infrared sensor operable to output a signal corresponding to a distance to an amount of debris stored in the dirt collector, a controller that receives the signal, and the controller is operable to determine a fill level stored in the dirt collector based on the signal. A visual display displays the fill level stored in the dirt collector.

A multi-robot system includes a first a mobile cleaning robot that has a local storage device to store a persistent map of an environment, at least one sensor to sense the environment, and a control module. The control module is configured to: control the mobile cleaning robot to navigate in the environment using the persistent map and sensing data provided by the at least one sensor, share the persistent map with a second mobile cleaning robot, and coordinate with the second mobile cleaning robot to perform cleaning tasks.

A mobile cleaning robot can include a body, a drive wheel, and a plurality of skids. The drive wheel can be connected to the body and can be engageable with a floor surface of an environment. The drive wheel can be operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment. The skids can be separate skids that can be connected to the body and can be engageable with the floor surface to support, together with the drive wheel, the mobile cleaning robot with respect to the floor surface.

A mobile cleaning robot can include a body and a cleaning assembly. The body can include a suction duct. The cleaning assembly can be operable to ingest debris from a surface of an environment. The cleaning assembly can include a dustpan engageable with the surface to direct debris toward the suction duct. The dust pan can be movable with respect to the body.

A mobile cleaning robot can include a body, a drive wheel, and a wheel stop. The drive wheel can be connected to the body and can be operable to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment. The wheel stop can be movable with respect to the body and the drive wheel between a stop position and a release position. The wheel stop can be engageable with the drive wheel in the stop position to limit vertical travel of the drive wheel with respect to the body.

An optical navigation device comprising: a processing circuit; a first light source, configured to emit first light; a cover; at least one second light source, configured to emit second light toward the cover; and an first optical sensor, configured to sense first optical data generated according to the first light and to sense second optical data generated according to the second light on the cover. The processing circuit determines a dirtiness level of the cover based on the second optical data sensed by the first optical sensor. The optical navigation device can further comprise a second optical sensor. Also, an optical navigation device which can avoid the interference of another optical navigation device is also disclosed.

A docking station for a mobile cleaning robot can include a base and a canister. The base can be configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile cleaning robot thereon. The base can include an electrical power interface configured to provide electrical power to the mobile cleaning robot. The canister can be connected to the base and can be located at least partially above the base. The canister can include a debris bin to receive debris from the mobile cleaning robot.

An autonomous floor cleaner can include a housing, a drive system for autonomously moving the housing over the surface to be cleaned, a controller for controlling the operation of the autonomous floor cleaner, a tank adapted to hold liquid, and a carry handle joined with the tank and/or the housing. The carry handle is movable between different positions, including a position in which the autonomous floor cleaner can be lifted via the carry handle while an inlet and/or outlet of the tank is blocked.

A hand vacuum cleaner has an air treatment member chamber positioned in the air flow path downstream of a dirty air inlet, an on board energy storage member positioned in the air flow path downstream from the air treatment member chamber whereby air passing through the air flow path cools the on board energy storage member, and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path downstream of the on board energy storage member and upstream of the clean air outlet. The air treatment member, onboard energy storage member, and suction motor can be arranged linearly with the longitudinal axis of the air treatment member extending through both the onboard energy storage member and the suction motor.