Roborock Unveils Robot Vacuum with Manipulator Capable of Picking Up Objects

Roborock unveiled the Saros Z70, a robot vacuum featuring the OmniGrip manipulator capable of picking up objects. Equipped with a camera, sensors, and app-based controls, it launches on February 10 at $1,600.

CES 2025 was buzzing, and Roborock stole the show with their game-changer: the Saros Z70 robot vacuum. This isn’t just any vacuum—it’s got a trick up its sleeve, or rather, a manipulator arm named OmniGrip. Roborock’s throwing down the gauntlet to iRobot, claiming this bad boy ushers in a whole new era for robot vacuums. Mark your calendars for February 10; that’s when the Saros Z70 hits the shelves at a cool $1,600. (Yeah, it’s pricey, but have you seen what this thing can do?)

Here’s the kicker: the Saros Z70 comes with a five-axis robotic arm that pops out from the top. It’s not just for show—this arm can twist, turn, and even lift obstacles weighing up to 300 grams out of its way. Imagine your vacuum not just avoiding your kid’s toys but actually picking them up. Mind blown, right?

Cleaning happens in two acts. First, it does the usual vacuuming dance. Then, it goes back for an encore, interacting with objects like a polite guest tidying up after themselves. The OmniGrip arm is no dummy, either. With its built-in camera and sensors, it knows exactly what it’s dealing with.

“The Roborock app is the brains behind the brawn,” the company says. By default, the manipulator arm is off—safety first, after all. But dive into the app, and you can tweak settings to your heart’s content. Want it to pick up socks but leave the cat alone? There’s a setting for that.

And because we live in the future, the app lets you dictate what objects OmniGrip should mess with and where to put them. Plus, there’s child-lock protection and a big red stop button for instant peace of mind. Because let’s face it, sometimes robots need a timeout.

In other robot news that sounds like the plot of a sci-fi comedy, a Waymo robotaxi and a Serve Robotics delivery bot had a little fender bender in LA. Both companies are on it, promising to keep their bots from bumping into each other—or anything else—in the future.