iRobot is taking a different approach to robot floor cleaning with the introduction of the Roomba Duo at IFA 2026. Rather than trying to make one robot handle every type of cleaning, the new system combines a full-size robot vacuum and steam mop with a smaller companion robot designed to reach areas the main unit can’t.
The two robots share the same home map and communicate through the Roomba Home App, allowing them to work together as a single cleaning system. The main robot takes care of larger open areas, while the compact companion handles tight spaces, corners, and areas underneath low furniture.
Two Robots, One Cleaning System
The most unusual part of the Roomba Duo is its ability to carry and deploy the smaller robot. The main unit features a mechanical arm mounted on top that can transport the companion robot before lowering it onto the floor in areas that are difficult for a larger robot to reach.
Once deployed, both robots coordinate their cleaning missions using a shared map. The main robot can focus on larger sections of the home while the smaller unit moves underneath beds, sofas, cabinets, and other low-clearance areas.
It’s an interesting solution to one of the biggest limitations of robot vacuums: a robot needs enough clearance and space to navigate, but making it smaller can also mean sacrificing cleaning capability.
The Main Robot Brings Wet-Dry Floor Washing and Steam
The main Roomba Duo unit is designed to go beyond conventional vacuuming and mopping. Its cylindrical body provides room for a wet-dry floor-washing system, a high-performance motor, and a large battery.
At the center of its mopping system is a 60mm-diameter PowerSpin Max Roller Mop that applies up to 46N of downward pressure, roughly equivalent to 4.7 kg of force. The roller continuously cleans itself while working across the floor, allowing it to tackle sticky spills and tougher messes.
The robot also uses an internal heater to produce controlled steam that is directed toward targeted areas. The steam is designed to loosen dried-on dirt and grime before the roller washes it away. iRobot says this can help with messes such as dried pasta sauce and cooking grease without requiring manual scrubbing.
After mopping, a hot-air drying system helps dry the floor and reduce prolonged moisture exposure, which could be particularly useful for homes with hard flooring such as wood.
The robot also provides strong suction for everyday dry debris, including pet hair, crumbs, and dust.
A Slim Companion Robot Handles Hard-to-Reach Areas
The companion robot is based on the Roomba Plus 575 Combo, which iRobot launched earlier in 2026. At just 8.35 cm tall and 29.8 cm wide, the compact robot is designed to squeeze into areas where the larger Roomba Duo cannot.
It can navigate between dining chairs and clean underneath low beds, sofas, TV cabinets, and other furniture. Its PerfectEdge mop pad extends by up to 31mm, while an extended side brush helps clean along walls, baseboards, corners, and irregular edges.
The smaller robot also uses air-lift omni-wheels that allow it to cross thresholds up to 3.5 cm, helping it move between rooms without getting stuck as easily.
LiDAR, AI Cameras and Autonomous Maintenance
Both robots use ClearView Pro dual-line LiDAR and PrecisionVision AI for navigation and obstacle detection. The main robot adds top-mounted AI cameras, giving it a higher perspective of rooms, furniture, and floor layouts.
According to iRobot, this allows the system to create more detailed maps and identify areas with larger stains or concentrated debris that may need additional cleaning.
The main robot also uses large 17cm wheels with hub motors, designed to provide stability when navigating between rooms and across different surfaces.
Maintenance is handled through a shared AutoWash dock. The dock supplies clean water, collects wastewater, washes and dries the mops, and empties the robots’ dust into a large bag. The goal is to keep routine maintenance to a minimum and allow the system to operate with less user intervention.
A Different Direction for Robot Vacuums
The Roomba Duo is still a prototype being demonstrated at IFA 2026, so iRobot has not yet announced final pricing or retail availability.
Still, the concept is one of the more unusual robot vacuum designs we’ve seen. Instead of making a single robot increasingly complex in an attempt to clean every part of a home, iRobot is splitting the job between two specialized machines.
The larger robot provides the cleaning power needed for floors and tougher wet messes, while the smaller robot handles the spaces that are simply too tight for it. If iRobot can turn this concept into a reliable consumer product, the Roomba Duo could offer a new way of thinking about fully autonomous floor cleaning.
iRobot is demonstrating the Roomba Duo at IFA 2026 in Berlin from September 4–8 at Booth 133 in Hall 9.