Dreame, Roborock, and Ecovacs have transformed robotic vacuums from simple disc-shaped floor sweepers into sophisticated machines with LiDAR navigation, AI obstacle avoidance, and articulated robotic arms. Dreame's latest model extends a mechanical arm to clean along wall edges and under furniture — areas that previous robots couldn't reach.
Chinese companies hold the majority of global market share in robotic cleaning, competing on both features and price. A Dreame or Roborock premium model costs roughly half of a comparable iRobot (Roomba) product, with more advanced navigation and cleaning capabilities.
The market may seem mundane compared to humanoid robots, but it's commercially massive ($15B+ globally) and technologically serious. The AI navigation, mapping, and manipulation skills developed for cleaning robots directly transfer to other autonomous indoor applications — warehouse logistics, elderly assistance, facility maintenance.