Several vacuums come with smartphone applications. These applications aren’t necessary to run the machines, but they’re helpful for monitoring or remotely starting and stopping cleanings, assessing a robot advancement, or viewing maps of the vacuum’s path around your house to see if it’s missed any areas.
In July 2017 confidentiality lawyers took note when Reuters reported that iRobot Chief Executive officer Colin Angle said that the mapping info its robotic vacuums collect might one day be marketed to tech businesses. Reuters updated the article, stating iRobot might share the information at no cost. Now isn’t this controversial?
Before you get your knickers in a knot, the organization’s public relations director for North America, said the iRobot will not be sending its information to 3rd parties, at least for today.
iRobot considers that in the future, this info can offer even more value for our clients by empowering the smart house and the devices inside it work better, but consistent with their explicit consent.
iRobot isn’t alone. Many robotic vacuum producers are currently recording the ways of their devices and uploading them to a server.
You may then see that information via the company’s program on your smartphone.
These maps can be rudimentary today. However, it appears likely that they will continue to improve with time to be able to clean your home more efficiently.
If you’re concerned about information being transmitted, do not use the program whenever you install your device. The tradeoff? You will no longer get cleaning information, like maps of the vacuum’s course.
What do you think? Are you concerned about your robot vacuum cleaner spying on you?
