Roomba Duo’s main unit carries a smaller robot—and deploys it under furniture

The smaller machine rides on Roomba Duo’s cylindrical main unit until a top-mounted mechanical arm lowers and releases it into spaces the larger robot cannot reach. iRobot unveiled the two-robot system at IFA 2026 on September 4. Roomba Duo remains a prototype, and the company has not announced a consumer release date, markets, or a price for the complete system.

A mechanical handoff beneath the furniture

The arm keeps its end level as it moves, then lowers the companion robot for cleaning under low furniture and inside narrow spaces. At IFA, iRobot demonstrated this role with the existing Roomba Plus 575 Combo, which the company lists at 8.35 cm tall and 29.8 cm wide.

iRobot says the compact unit also reaches corners and edges with a PerfectEdge mop pad that extends up to 31 mm. Its air-lift omni-wheels are described as crossing thresholds up to 3.5 cm.

One home map, two different cleaning jobs

Both robots use the same home map in the Roomba Home App and communicate in real time during a shared cleaning mission. The main unit vacuums and performs steam-assisted mopping across open floor areas, while the companion takes over beneath furniture and along tight boundaries.

According to iRobot, both units combine ClearView Pro dual-line LiDAR with PrecisionVision AI for obstacle detection. The main robot adds top-mounted AI cameras for a higher view of the room and targeted detection of larger stains or debris buildup.

Steam pretreatment followed by washing and drying

iRobot describes a 60 mm PowerSpin Max roller mop applying 46 N, or about 4.7 kg, of downward pressure. An internal heater applies controlled steam before the roller washes loosened dirt, and hot air behind the roller dries the floor surface.

The shared AutoWash dock brings the two-unit routine back to one station, handling clean water and wastewater while washing and drying the mops and emptying collected dust.