Robotic cleaners are no longer strange to households. Turn the switch on and leave them behind when we head for work, these round-shaped robots would automatically clean the floor. But the question is, are they all qualified ones, and smart enough to clean as they should be?

扫地机器人对于普通家庭来说已经不是什么新鲜事了。只需在出门上班前打开开关，这些圆形的“机器人”们便会开始自动清洁地面。但问题是，这些扫地机器人都“能力达标”了么？它们都能发挥出应有的清洁能力么？

Recently, Shanghai Consumer Rights Protection Commission has conducted inspections on 25 robotic cleaners covering major brands in the market. The result, however, is divided. As a few models are quite satisfactory in their performance, while some robotic cleaners perform poorly for cleaning, noise and pollution.

近日，上海消费者权益保护委员会针对25种市场主流品牌的扫地机器人进行了集中测试。结果显示，不同的扫地机器人清洁能力分化明显，其中几款的表现令人满意，但也有几款在清洁度、噪音和污染等指标上没能达标。

They were examined for their cleaning performance, programming, flexible “walking” ability, noise and pollution. Their prices ranged from 1,088 yuan to 7,999 yuan and they were bought from online sites, department stores and home appliance shops.

这项比较试验从清洁表现、程序优化、行走灵活度、噪音和污染控制等方面进行评估。涉及到的扫地机器人价位从1088元到7999元不等，分别是从电商网站、百货商店和家电市场等不同渠道采购而来。

The cleaners varied significantly in performances. Three machines, from Flyco, seebest and Dibea, could not complete the whole testing procedure due to breakdowns midway through. For the remaining 22, the dust cleaning performance ranged from 22.8 percent to more than 94 percent. The test was conducted in central room areas that were scattered with dust.

不同的扫地机器人性能差异明显。实验人员将扫地机器人放在一个布满灰尘的房间中央。来自飞科、视贝和地贝的三款机器因为中途故障而未能完成完整测试。而其余22款机器的清洁性能最低的仅有22.8%，最高则超过了94%。

The commission also tested their cleaning ability at room corners, and their performances ranged from 14.5 percent to 88.9 percent. The programming ability displays the intelligent level of robotic cleaners so that samples with strong programming can cover bigger areas through navigation, mapping and route design, and reach below desks and chairs.

消保委还就扫地机器人在房屋角落的清洁能力进行了测试，结果也是高低差异明显，除尘效率从14.5%到88.9%不等。程序优化能力直接影响扫地机器人的智能程度，程序优化较好的样品可以通过导航、内部测绘和路线优化等功能覆盖更大的清洁区域，深入到桌椅的边边角角进行清洁。

The commission also examined the flexible “walking” ability of the cleaners to check their reaction when there are steps, narrow passages and obstacles in their way.

此外，消保委还测试了扫地机器人的行走灵活性，检测它们在遇到台阶、狭窄过道和随机障碍时的应变能力。

To be noted, the current standard on robotic cleaners in China is not compulsory and lags behind product updates. For the consumers, robotic cleaners are not necessarily “the more expensive, the better”. It takes more to choose the model you invest in.

值得一提的是，我国目前针对扫地机器人的现行标准并非是强制性的，并且落后于产品的更新速度。对于消费者来说，扫地机器人并不是“越贵越好”。付款购买前，还是要仔细比对，三思而后行。

About Vacuum Cleaners

说说吸尘器

Vacuum cleaners were not invented after the electric power was invented. The earliest model could date back to 1860, when a manual model of vacuum cleaner was developed in Iowa, U. S.

吸尘器早在电力发明前就有了。世界上第一台手动吸尘器于1860年在美国艾奥瓦州诞生。

The end of the 19th century saw the introduction of powered cleaners, while the domestic models entered household in 1905 by Walter Griffiths, a manufacturer in England. However, the early models were quite ineffective and expensive.

在十九世纪末期，世界上出现了首台电动吸尘器。1905年，英国制造商华特·格里菲斯首度将家用吸尘器带入消费市场。但早期的吸尘器效率低下，并且价格昂贵。

The modern time witnesses the impressive improvements in vacuum cleaners. USB-powered hand-held vacuum cleaners and robotic cleaners are the newest inventions of the industry.

来到当下，吸尘机已经取得了长足的进步。USB接口的手持吸尘器和扫地机器人便是行业最新的发明成果。