Robotic Cleaning Machines Case Study
Executive Summary
Robotic cleaning machines are the new way of keeping carpets and floors clean in a home. Due to this emerging industry, we have decided to market a new robotic cleaning machine called the Mint. The Mint is a one-of-a-kind hard surface floor cleaner that can make consumers life easier. It is designed to sweep and mop floors at home with its unique navigation system. Its shape and size make it one of the best robot cleaning machines since it can reach “hard to get places,” and do it in a timely manner with effortless work from the consumer. We plan to market it on our product’s website, through retailers, television programs, and magazines in order to fully reach our target market. Not only do we hope to capture a market share in the consumer robotics industry, we will listen to our customers closely and continually improve the product to meet customers’ needs and wants.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The consumer robotics industry is a growing industry. As more companies have developed automatic robots that assist consumers in their daily tasks, more consumers have also become interested in such products. The global robotics market is currently valued at $7.9 billion, and that number is projected to be $16 billion in 2025 (Kara). This means that there is growth potential for our company’s product, Mint, an automatic sweeper and mop for cleaning hard surface floors.
The Mint works as a wet and dry cleaner for hardwood floors. Unlike other homecare robots that use algorithms to calculate cleaning paths, the Mint uses the NorthStar indoor navigation system that shoots an infrared beam to the ceiling, allowing it to always find its position and navigate the room faster. The NorthStar navigation system was already developed by our company, hence reducing costs of having to contract another company with the same technology to incorporate into the Mint. This technology also makes it more efficient for the Mint to clean. For example, while other robots do not have a predetermined cleaning path, they would clean a spot multiple times while missing certain spots. With the NorthStar navigation cube, the Mint moves methodically back and forth across the floor in straight lines, ensuring thorough cleaning coverage. The same technology also allows the Mint to clean up to 1,000 square feet in large open space or by discovering adjacent rooms.
Another important aspect of the Mint, which other automatic cleaners do not possess, is the ability to use wet or dry cleaning cloths (e.g. Swiffer brand, or store brand cloths) that can be attached to the Mint for cleaning. This feature reduces the need to empty dirty water from the cleaner compared to the Scooba; all you have to do is to discard the used cleaning pads. Microfiber cloths also come with the product, which not only picks up more dirt, but could also be re-washed and reused multiple