Boundary wires may be quickly changing into a factor of the previous, however fashionable robotic garden mower navigation tech is not with out its issues. Most lawnbots discover their means round utilizing satellites, with an RTK receiver to make the placement data extra exact. Generally, that is mixed with backup expertise like VSLAM and/or cameras.
Mammotion’s latest launch takes issues to a different degree, with a triple-pronged method that features RTK, a 3D digital camera and solid-state LiDAR. The inclusion of LiDAR is probably the most attention-grabbing (so attention-grabbing that Mammotion has referred to as it out within the product identify: the LUBA mini AWD LiDAR) – that is the navigation tech powering immediately’s greatest robotic vacuums, however I’ve by no means seen it utilized in a robotic mower earlier than.
The concept is that the LUBA mini AWD LiDAR will swap between these completely different navigation applied sciences to supply “±1 cm precision in any scenario”. Every expertise has its strengths and weaknesses, which is why including numerous choices is sensible.
LiDAR works by emitting beams of sunshine and measuring how lengthy they take to bounce again, then utilizing this data to construct a map of an space and every thing in it. It is very exact and nice for enclosed areas with issues in them (therefore its reputation with robotic vacuums), however much less so in open areas that lack objects to bounce off.
RTK is your normal lawnbot expertise. It is much less exact than LiDAR and depends on a direct line of sight to a variety of satellites within the sky, which implies it may possibly wrestle to function underneath bushes or in slim passageways. Nonetheless, it is excellent for broad, open areas.
The 3D digital camera is helpful for object identification and avoidance, nevertheless it wants mild to work correctly. In distinction, RTK and LiDAR each work at midnight and are efficient in shaded areas.
With Mammotion’s “Tri-Fusion” expertise, the LUBA Mini AWD LiDAR will routinely decide the very best method for any given house. So when there is a poor satellite tv for pc sign, LiDAR would possibly kick in, then in open areas missing in obstacles, RTK would take over as the first positioning supply.
This model already makes a few of the most superior robotic mowers round (head to TechRadar’s Mammotion Luba 2 AWD evaluate for a taster), so I am excited to see how this new addition holds up, having seen it in motion at IFA 2025.
