SoftBank Robotics America, ICE Robotics launch commercial autonomous vacuum sweeper

SoftBank Robotics America (SBRA) and ICE Robotics announce North American launch of Whiz.

SoftBank Robotics America (SBRA) and ICE Robotics have announced the North American launch of Whiz, the commercial-grade autonomous vacuum sweeper, at the ISSA Show North America in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It follows a successful launch in Japan and recent introductions to select markets across Asia.

Whiz has already been deployed in commercial spaces across the US this year in pilots at airports, hotels, offices, campuses, and more.

At ISSA, SBRA introduced Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and PRIDE Industries as Whiz Robotics-as-a-Service customers who are reinventing cleaning standards in their industries.

Brady Watkins, Head of Commercial Automation at SBRA, said Whiz represents a major technological upgrade in automating commercial processes that demand frequency, quality, and consistency.

“The scale and effort required to keep huge areas of carpet clean strains already overworked janitorial teams. Whiz supports cleaning teams to uplevel their hard work. By addressing this task, Whiz unlocks the team’s potential of creating healthier environments.”

SBRA and ICE Robotics US, the newly-formed global subsidiary of Intelligent Cleaning Equipment, jointly developed Whiz and have formed a strategic partnership to deliver Whiz in North America.

ICE Robotics US President Mike DeBoer, said the company is pleased to join SoftBank Robotics on itsUS launch and commercialisation of Whiz.

“Both of our companies see robotics and automation as foundational to real innovation that benefits companies, employees, and everyone’s day-to-day life.”

Whiz is powered by BrainOS® and can record up to 600 cleaning routes, for which staff teach the robot the initial floor cleaning route upon their first use.

Subsequently, routes are stored in Whiz so it can repeat the cleaning route autonomously. Through cloud data visualisation, cleaning and status reports on Whiz can be gathered and analyzed.

With its computer vision navigation, Whiz can navigate its way close to walls and avoid obstacles, while the notification pager can send real-time alerts. Whiz can clean areas up to 15,000 sqft, the size of three basketball courts, for three hours on a single-battery charge.

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