The Roomba Discovery Floorvac offers many new design and technological advances, such as an active “Dirt Detect” system with special sensors to locate concentrated areas of dirt, detecting particles as fine as ground pepper. It also includes a self-charging “Home Base” station where Roomba automatically returns when cleaning has been completed. Longer battery run time (up to 120 minutes) and faster charging (under three hours) offer consumers the ability to clean their homes more effectively and with less effort than previous models.

The one-button clean mode enables Roomba to calculate room size and exact time required to clean floors. A larger dust bin holds three times more dirt, and a more powerful vacuum device offers better cleaning on deeper pile carpet. Smart sensors “know” when Roomba is stuck and help it escape; and design modifications in the new model allow Roomba to transition more smoothly from hardwood floor to rug. All of this is achieved with a quieter operation.

The sleek, pearl-white and gray Roomba Discovery comes with a remote control so users can direct it where to clean first; two Virtual Wall units that contain Roomba to a specific area; and a wall mount for easy storage.

As a Best of Innovations award winner, the Roomba Discovery will be displayed at International CES, January 6-9, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For the past 15 years, the CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards program has offered consumer technology manufacturers and developers the opportunity to have their newest products judged by a pre-eminent panel of independent industry designers, engineers and journalists. The IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America) endorses and acts as advisors to this program. More than 800 entries were considered for this year's CES design competition.