Trifo’s ‘Lucy’ is poised to be the first actual smart vacuum

Trifo’s new robovac might actually be intelligent enough to be called a “smart” vacuum. The fancy autonomous vacuum, which goes by the name Lucy, comes with a set of two 1080p night-enabled cameras, which its creators hope will make it less chaotic than similar cleaners on the market. It’s set to be officially unveiled at CES and will be released sometime this year.

Actual smarts — Where many robovacs pride themselves on advanced cleaning technology, Lucy’s selling point is its cameras and onboard computer. Lucy can use its HD cameras to accurately measure distances between objects and locate itself within a cleaning area, so it shouldn’t go over the same place twice and waste battery power.

Plus, Lucy can avoid obstacles as close as one inch off the ground — which should allow it to tiptoe around tiny toys and pet poop.

Why does a vacuum need AI? — Lucy uses its AI power to create detailed maps of each room in your house. If all goes well, you can then use these maps to tell Lucy which rooms you’d like cleaned, either with an Alexa voice command or from its companion app.

Should we cop? — That depends on your needs and your budget. Lucy’s $799 price point makes it a little more expensive than an entry-level Roomba, and there are less pricey options available from companies like Shark. But if you want to avoid a poopocalypse, Lucy’s HD cameras and AI-powered mapping might be the right choice for you.