The robot vacuum market changes all the time - businesses and manufacturers are constantly pushing the boundaries of what we can expect from our automated cleaners. 

Roborock is one of the most trusted names in the sector, and has built up a superb reputation over the last few years, repeatedly putting out superb vacuums that innovate in significant ways to allow for better cleaning and easier use.

Now, its latest step forward is ready: the Roborock S6 MaxV, a new iteration of the S6 line that adds true visual AI to create a robot vacuum that not only senses your home and its obstacles as it navigates, but can now actually see and process them, for the most advanced navigation yet. We've done some digging to find out just what the new models' upgrades mean for users at the end of the line.

1. True obstacle dodging

Pretty much any robot vacuum on the market right now is likely to make some claims or other about the extent to which it can be relied upon to navigate around your home independently, without bumping into things constantly. In far too many cases, this doesn't translate to actual performance. 

Roborock, though, has long had impressive radar systems to make sure that even its less premium vacuums navigate expertly. That means that you don’t have a little robot speeding around knocking into delicate furniture of decorations and causing damage and distraction. Still, it's been looking for ways to take this further, and visual AI that harnesses actual cameras are the logical next step. That's why the Roborock S6 MaxV has a pair of cameras on its front side, which sees common household items and obstacles in front of it and (based on machine learning) cleans around them.

It's all powered by a Qualcomm® APQ8053 processor chip that would normally be running a hugely complex phone or similar device, giving you a sense of its sophistication. This all means that even small objects can be easily avoided and bypassed, making sure that there's no risk of further mess being created by a collision.

2. Even stronger suction

Of course, when you're upgrading a robot vacuum it makes sense to cram as much extra suction power in as you can manage, which is why the S6 MaxV has Roborock's most powerful ever fan, clocking in at 2500Pa³, 25% more power than the standard S6 puts out. 

That means that you can rely on it both to capture even the finest and most ingrained of dust particles, but also bigger chunks of grime and dirt, leaving total cleanliness in its wake.

3. Giant battery size

That suction power takes some, well, powering, though - that's why there's an absolutely massive 5200mAh battery on board, to make sure that the S6 MaxV has plenty of juice for long cleaning sessions. 

In fact, you can expect up to 180 minutes of runtime from the vacuum, with the added bonus that, like Roborock's other models, it'll take itself back to dock for some charging time before heading back out to resume right where it left off if the job wasn't finished. That all translates to a system where you really don't need to worry about its battery life - it'll take care of that all alone. 

4. All-new electric mopping

The best robot vacuums have more tricks up their sleeve, though, and the S6 MaxV is no different, with an upgraded mopping system that incorporates a brand new ultra-precise pump and larger 300ml water capacity to mop even more efficiently than before.

The new electric system will switch the water off when the vacuum docks, too, meaning that you don't have to remember to empty it once it's finished mopping. The new mop also has even greater pressure to exert on the floor - fully 300g of force, constantly applied, making for a more thorough job and cleaner surfaces whether your water tank is full or empty.

5. Multi-level mapping

One of Roborock's absolute specialties is its vacuums’ mapping capabilities, but the S6 MaxV even manages to upgrade this side of things, bringing in the ability to recognise what floor of your house it's on completely automatically, storing up to 4 floors in its memory. 

Each of these can have its own no-go zones, no-mop zones and invisible walls, to mean that you can really easily have a cleaning plan for your entire multi-floor home that one vacuum can manage.

Just pop the robovac down on the floor you want cleaned and it'll do the rest - you don’t even need to have charging docks on each level. That's a massive step forward for those who want one robot vacuum to cater to their whole home. 

In fact, it’s the exact sort of addition that might make you conclude that the S6 MaxV has taken more than a few significant steps toward being the perfect robot vacuum - you can find out more about the new model here on Roborock's website, and order it once it becomes available.