A stair-climbing robot vacuum is not a brand new concept. We noticed an early try at it with the Dreame X50 Ultra, which was in a position to overcome thresholds of round two inches. Not too long ago, at IFA 2025, we noticed the Eufy Marswalker and Dreame CyberX, which use a system of treads and an extra shell to assist the robotic rise up stairs. Nonetheless, neither can clear the steps itself. The Roborock Saros Rover is completely different; it is a robotic with legs, and I imply actual legs, not treads or a carry system.
Sure, this robotic vacuum comes with real rooster legs (or possibly frog legs) with wheels on the underside. It is a weird-looking system, little question, however the result’s onerous to argue with. Here at CES, I watched Roborock run the Saros Rover via a variety of demos to showcase its stair-climbing talents, stability and talent to jump over obstacles and even dance. Here is what I believed.
The Rover’s legs remind me of rooster or frog legs with the way in which they fold and unfold.
How the Saros Rover works
The Saros Rover makes use of its legs to wedge its physique up on the following step, then attracts them up after it.
As talked about, the Saros Rover operates in another way from the opposite stair-climbing robots we have seen demoed earlier than. As an alternative of utilizing a shell with tread attachments, the Rover deploys a pair of legs and wheels to lever itself up over stairs and different obstacles. Its climbing is vaguely paying homage to a stork or different long-legged chook, with the 2 legs appearing as a help to push its giant, flat physique up on the following step. Then the legs fold themselves up behind its again, after which it deploys them once more for the following step.
The Saros Rover can deal with all method of stairs, together with conventional, curved and carpeted.
It took the Saros Rover roughly 30 to 40 seconds to climb about 5 giant steps, so it is actually not very quick in comparison with a human, however the Saros can and can clear every step because it strikes up. It does that through the use of one leg for stability on the step beneath, then rolls itself up and down the following step to make sure it is clear earlier than transferring on. That is notably one thing that Eufy instructed us that its Marswalker is not in a position to do, and the identical is true of Dreame’s prototype mannequin as properly.
The Rover takes a while to climb steps, nevertheless it’s impressively responsive when utilizing its wheels.
Roborock says that the Rover ought to be capable to deal with each conventional and curved staircases, in addition to completely different flooring sorts, included carpeted staircases with bullnose fronts. It will additionally assist deal with different obstacles which may be current in your house, reminiscent of multi-level room thresholds.
The Saros Rover legs are connected to its physique and it would not depend on any exterior attachments to recover from stairs.
A hopping and dancing robotic
The Saros Rover dancing and hopping whereas surrounded by Z70s.
What impressed me essentially the most in regards to the Saros Rover is its means to stability and maneuver itself. Gone are the times of a hesitant robotic vacuum that slowly and tentatively edges round obstacles, as if not sure of its environment. The Saros Rover is ready to not simply climb stairs, it might probably stand up on its wheel-legs for added maneuverability, giving it elevated attain, carry and top that Roborock compares to human mobility.
The Saros Rover did not have any issues with ramps or inclines.
As soon as it reached the highest of the steps that Roborock has arrange for the demos, I watched it go down a reasonably steep ramp with spectacular management over its pace. It was even in a position to cease partway down the incline and reverse, which is one thing I’ve by no means seen one other robotic vacuum do earlier than. It is in a position to make sudden stops and turns, and even hop, which Roborock demonstrated for me with a cute little dance involving the Rover, surrounded by Saros Z70 fashions waving their arms in sync to the beat, very like a gaggle of followers.
The Saros Rover also can reverse with out a lot effort and go up steep inclines.
It is all very spectacular to have a look at and there was just one occasion the place I noticed the Saros Rover lose its stability and stumble a bit of, nevertheless it appeared in a position to proper itself pretty successfully earlier than one of many Roborock sales space employees swooped it up. In all equity, these are early prototype fashions, so some hiccups are to be anticipated, however what was putting is simply how few hiccups there really had been.
The software program is the place the magic occurs
The Saros Rover drawing its legs up behind it after it reaches the highest.
No matter software program Roborock makes use of to handle navigation and goal avoidance is spectacular. Roborock instructed me that it makes use of an AI algorithm, working along with complicated movement sensors and 3D spatial data, to allow the wheel legs to react to their environment.
Object avoidance has been a giant problem for robotic vacuums and even one of the best ones we have really useful at CNET have had points avoiding sure obstacles like pet waste. The issue is totally on the software program finish reasonably than the {hardware} finish, so if the Saros Rover is ready to deal with stairs, thresholds, inclines and different limitations, that places it heads and shoulders above most different robotic vacuums available on the market, a minimum of till we see the capabilities of Narwal’s upcoming Flow 2.
The Rover was in a position to management its pace coming down the ramp, it by no means crashed into the wooden on the finish of the demo space.
Whereas Roborock did not exhibit this for me in particular person, additionally they confirmed me a video from an earlier briefing of the Saros Rover dodging tennis balls thrown at it by Roborock engineers (signal me up for that job). I requested what the tennis balls are supposed to signify in a real-world use case and Roborock defined that it is meant to showcase that the Saros Rover is ready to establish and react to fast-moving objects in its atmosphere which may get in its approach, reminiscent of pets and youngsters. As somebody with three cats who enjoys zooming, I am trying ahead to seeing the way it works with them and placing the Rover to the check at CNET Labs.
Worth and availability unknown
The Saros Rover also can use its top and maneuverability to get round obstacles.
Roborock additionally assured me that it is a product that may come to market, although they at the moment haven’t any pricing or availability to share. With the arm-equipped Roborock Saros Z70 beginning at $2,599 when it was first launched, I count on the Saros Rover to price a minimum of as a lot, if no more. After all, the Saros Z70 did drop in value over time and as of late might be gotten for round $2,000 if you happen to discover it on sale, so my hope is that we’ll see the identical with the Saros Rover.
