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    [More proof that not enough people watched "Maximum Overdrive" or read the   
   Stephen King story it is based on.  Watch your feet!!! -- Mike]   
      
   "It's literally worry-free"  Segway Navimow exec on the new technology that's   
   going to take robot lawn mowers mainstream   
      
   Date:   
   Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:30:00 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   This "foolproof" navigation tech is going to make lawnbots even more   
   accessible.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   Robot lawn mowers can be a major effort-saver, but there's a bit of a    
   learning curve to getting started with one. I say this as someone who nearly   
   had a breakdown when trying to test their first lawnbot (I'm happy to say    
   that I've since mastered them). However, it looks like future owners might be   
   able to skip the stressful stage altogether, thanks to the introduction of a   
   new kind of navigation technology.    
      
   LiDAR-powered lawnbots were everywhere at CES  in fact, it's one of the hot   
   tech trends for 2026 . This light-based positioning system is already the   
   standard in the best robot vacuums , and now it looks set to make its way   
   beyond that market, too. I had a chance to chat to Tony Ho , vice president    
   of business development for Segway Navimow, about this particular advancement   
   and why it's such a big deal.   
      
   LiDAR works by shooting out beams of light, using time-of-flight sensors to   
   measure how long these beams take to bounce back. Then, using that   
   information, it figures out where objects are positioned, allowing it to    
   build a 3D map of a space.    
      
   Segway Navimow has introduced the i2 LiDAR as a part of its new i2 compact   
   lawnbot range , and it's far from the only robot mower brand following this   
   approach. From the Roborock X1 LiDAR to the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD (and various   
   sibling models), to the Anthbot M5 LiDAR and the Ecovacs GOAT LiDAR , pretty   
   much all of the major brands are exploring this option for navigation.   
      
   Why is lawnbot LiDAR such a big deal?   
      
   While LiDAR isn't perfect for every scenario (I'll get into its limitations   
   below), it does have some major benefits. You won't need to find somewhere    
   for an RTK station to live; you won't have to deal with your robot getting   
   lost whenever there's a tree blocking the satellite signal; and you    
   definitely won't need to lay any boundary wires. Since LiDAR generates its    
   own light beams, it will work in the dark, too.    
      
   In some situations, you'll be able to unbox your new lawnbot, place it on the   
   ground and it will be able to just work out its surroundings and start   
   cutting. "The LiDAR itself essentially can map," explains Tony. "So [it'll]   
   localize the robot, and also automatically map out the lawn." A few brands    
   are marketing this as some variation on 'drop and mow', and it's undoubtedly   
   appealing.    
      
   "LiDAR actually likes obstacles. It's like human beings  we look for   
   landmarks, right? So, when we try to navigate, we say, 'Hey, that building is   
   here, that tree is over there, therefore, I'm home', or something like that,"   
   says Tony. "It's a very similar concept when you drop the robot for the first   
   time. It looks around for obstacles and uses that information to figure out   
   where it is. Then, the next time it's in the same spot, it knows where it is.   
   And after it knows where it is on the map, it can start doing path planning."   
      
   Removing this pain point from the setup process could have major implications   
   for the market on a larger scale. Specifically, Tony thinks it could remove   
   the barrier to entry that's stopping lawnbots from being widely adopted.    
      
   "Even though the product today is already quite easy to use, some people will   
   say, 'Hey, I wanted this to be foolproof. Basically, I don't want to worry   
   about this'," says Tony about the current setup process. "This LiDAR product   
   will solve a lot of problems. Consumers will adopt [robot lawn mowers]   
   quicker."    
      
   "LiDAR is perfect for smaller yards with obstacles," he continues. "We love   
   [the i2 LiDAR]. It's literally worry-free."   
      
   LiDAR limitations    
      
   LiDAR isn't really suitable for use in large, open yards. "If you have a wide   
   open space, the light beams have nothing to bounce off," says Tony (a rep   
   tells me that you can actually get long-range LiDAR, but it's currently too   
   expensive to be a workable solution in products such as this).    
      
   Thankfully, these kinds of obstacle-free areas are particularly well-suited    
   to another navigation technology. "Once you're in open space, the best   
   technology to use is satellites," continues Tony. That means that on lawnbots   
   designed for larger areas  including the likes of the Segway Navimow X4   
   you're more likely to see traditional satellite and RTK-based navigation .    
      
   In fact, many modern lawnbots will combine various different navigation   
   technologies, so in situations where one fails, another can take over.   
      
   Part of the reason we're seeing (shorter-range) LiDAR in lawnbots now is that   
   while previously it was very expensive, it's now starting to be manufactured   
   more widely and therefore prices have come down.    
      
   There's a mix of two different types: mechanical LiDAR, where the module sits   
   on top of the robot, beneath some kind of light protective casing; and   
   "solid-state" LiDAR, where the LiDAR module is tucked into the body of the   
   lawnbot. The mechanical option is more exposed and arguably more open to   
   damage, but it does offer a 360-degree "view" of the area, which the   
   solid-state version lacks. As to which works best for navigation, there's no   
   clear answer yet  we'll need to get into testing and report back on this one.    
      
   Whichever prevails, it's certainly an exciting time for robot lawn mowers.    
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/home/robot-vacuums/its-literally-worry-free-segway-n   
   avimow-exec-on-the-new-technology-thats-going-to-take-robot-lawn-mowers-mainst   
   ream   
      
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