Abstract

Current vacuuming robots only work on flat ground, and traditional vacuums require human assistance. Neither of those types of vacuuming products provides a good solution to those who want to have their houses cleaned the easy way. In this project, we designed and prototyped a robot capable of vacuuming the staircases without human assistance.

Our design comprises 3 sections: a front pod, a center pod and a rear pod. The pods are lowered and lifted using the vertical rack-and-pinion system powered by DC motors. The robot determines its position using IR sensors and resets itself using limit switches. The lateral drive system makes sure that the robot is able to move in all directions on each step of the staircase. 2 vacuums are used to maximize suction power and increase ground coverage when collecting dust particles.

Through testing, we found that our robot climbs and descends the stairs with a success rate of approximately 80% and is capable of collecting more than 90% coffee grind. Having an aluminum chassis, it is structurally strong and safe. The time it takes to climb and fully vacuum each step is only about 43 seconds, making it fast in its operation.