- The SwitchBot Multitasking Robot K20+ can transform into various roles using modular accessories.
- It can turn into a home monitoring solution, mobile air purifier, and delivery bot to name a few.
- The company is opening up the modular system to third-party developers.
Robot vacuum cleaners have become a norm, but maybe it’s the engineer in me, but I’ve almost felt that their potential is underutilized. The technology can do a lot more than vacuuming and mopping floors. But this tiny SwitchBot Robot K20+ seems like a step in the right direction, as the device can switch between different roles, making itself useful in more ways than one.
SwitchBot announced their new Multitasking Household Robot K20+ at CES 2025. While the vacuum itself is a decent cleaning robot, its modular accessories are what make it stand out. It can dock with SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus, which turns the robot vacuum into a full-fledged monitoring solution for the house. Moreover, it can utilize 2K-3K cameras for real-time monitoring, and motion detection. And it can patrol your house when it’s left home alone.
Next is the SwitchBot Air Purifier, which makes it a mobile air purifier. The robot can go from room to room, improving the air quality of your home. They have also come up with a FusionPlatform kit which turns the little vacuum into a delivering bot. The robot can lift up to 8 kg of weight. So, it can be helpful if you find yourself too lazy to go to the kitchen and grab something to eat.
Apart from these, there’s a little fan module and a tablet holder. The former can help cool down rooms when the temperatures are high. Meanwhile, the tablet holder gives you a mobile station to shoot your TikToks and Reels. The SwitchBot uses D-ToF Lidar Navigation and dual laser detection to map your home and avoid collisions.
Apart from this first batch of accessories, the company is doing the right thing by opening up this modular system for third parties as well. So people can come up with innovative solutions for the robot vacuum cleaner. However, currently, there’s no word on the pricing and availability.
Honestly, this is such an out-there idea that I wonder why it took so long to come up. Turning the little circular guy roaming around your house into a more useful machine is such a brilliant idea. So, I hope more companies do the same. This is the sort of stuff that I expect to see at CES and I hope to find more of such innovations this year.
