Something to look forward to: Back in 2014, Dyson announced its first robotic vacuum, the 360 Eye. Now, the successor has arrived, bringing with it a slew of upgrades including the ability to work in dark rooms---something the original model struggled with.
As noted by Engadget, the 360 Heurist was unveiled in Beijing earlier this week. One of the biggest upgrades over the 360 Eye is the new quad-core 1.4GHz processor that's able to process information 20 times faster than the previous model. Dyson says this lets it pick up 60 percent more detail about the surroundings and reduces the chances of it hitting something by half.
Other features include more stiff nylon bristles, now up from 5468 to 6947, and 20 percent more suction power than the 360 Eye---despite both vacuums using the same 78,000 rpm Dyson V2 digital motor. There are three suction power settings that can double the runtime up to 80 minutes, and it comes with eight LEDs that automatically light up in dark environments, letting it clean rooms at night without constantly bumping into furniture.
As with the 360 Eye, the Heurist can be controlled using the vacuum's companion app; functionality that has also been upgraded with the inclusion of voice commands. In China, the vacuum can be ordered around using Alibaba's Tmall Genie smart speaker. Amazon's Alexa is expected to be the digital assistant of choice in other locations.
There's no word on price or launch locations for the 360 Heurist outside of China, where it will be available this November for 5,490 yuan (about $800). Dyson no longer lists the 360 Eye on its website, which could indicate an eventual global release for the successor.