How to use the robotic arm of the Roborock Saros Z70

Digital Trends

5 days ago

While the Roborock Saros Z70 didn't exactly live up to the hype, there's no denying its robotic arm is still a cool piece of technology. Capable of picking up small objects in its path, moving them to a new location, then continuing its cleaning process, the Saros Z70 and its robotic arm might be the coolest feature we've ever seen in a robot vacuum. But how exactly does it work? And what are the robotic arm's limitations?
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Here's a closer look at how to use the robotic arm of the Roborock Saros Z70 and ways you can improve its performance.
Limitations of the Roborock Saros Z70's robotic arm
Before you send this robot vacuum out to pick up all the objects littering your floor, it's important to know its limitations. It's also important to note that Roborock is constantly updating the Saros Z70 software — meaning new and improved functionality is always around the corner. Here are the current limitations that will dictate how well your robotic arm performs.
The robot has difficulty recognizing objects on carpet
The robot will not cross thresholds if the arm has hold of an object
The robotic arm is known to move slowly while in operation
The arm is limited to objects 300 grams or less
Some low-lying objects may not be detected
Reflective objects are difficult for the robot to detect
Some of these are restrictions based on the hardware and cannot be improved. Others might be improved in the coming months via software updates.
Tips and tricks for using the Saros Z70's robotic arm
The Saros Z70's arm is deactivated by default. You can enable it in the Robotic Arm Settings menu, which requires you to be near the robot and make a few manual inputs. Once that's done, check out the other options in the Robotic Arm Settings menu. This includes the following:
Follow-Up Cleaning
Automatic Sorting
Manual Sorting
Remote Control to Pick Up
We'd recommend enabling Follow-Up Cleaning and Automatic Sorting, then tinkering with additional options from there. You can also use the Remote Control to Pick Up feature, which allows you to manually navigate the robot toward an object, then start the 'pick up' process.
Beyond that, much of the robotic arm's capabilities are automated. When it stumbles upon an item it can pick up, it'll do so automatically and return it to a designated spot in your home. However, there are a few things you can do to improve its performance.
Don't leave objects on carpet. The Saros Z70 has difficulty finding objects are carpet, and during our testing, it only managed to pick up objects left on hard floors.
The Saros Z70 has difficulty finding objects are carpet, and during our testing, it only managed to pick up objects left on hard floors. Be patient. It's not uncommon for the robotic arm to grab, then subsequently drop an object. The arm is far from perfect, so expect it to take a few attempts (and several minutes) to properly pick up various objects.
It's not uncommon for the robotic arm to grab, then subsequently drop an object. The arm is far from perfect, so expect it to take a few attempts (and several minutes) to properly pick up various objects. Place the storage box in an accessible location. Leave three sides open to the robot. That is, don't place it in a corner, and if you do put it near a wall, make sure the robot has enough space to reach all the other edges.
Leave three sides open to the robot. That is, don't place it in a corner, and if you do put it near a wall, make sure the robot has enough space to reach all the other edges. Expect the best results for socks, small towels, papers, and slippers. Objects beyond this may or may not be recognized by the robot. Also, objects over 300 grams exceed the arm's weight limit. This means you should clean up heavy obstacles and items beyond the few above. Doing so will improve the odds of your entire home being cleaned.
Objects beyond this may or may not be recognized by the robot. Also, objects over 300 grams exceed the arm's weight limit. This means you should clean up heavy obstacles and items beyond the few above. Doing so will improve the odds of your entire home being cleaned. Try manual operation. Using the Remote Control to Pick Up option, you can take manual control of the arm. You can try using this to pick up difficult objects, and it's also a fun way to show off the robot to guests.