The autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner has been in production for a while now and is growing more intelligent and sophisticated with each passing year. Each new model of robotic vacuum cleaner is surpassing the previous one and there are already millions of them in homes around the world.

The robotic vacuum cleaning world has been led by iRobot's Roomba, but there are many alternatives for sale now at prices ranging from one hundred dollars to one thousand dollars. Here we will focus on one of the first of its kind, the Roomba.

Autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners are small, disk-like units, usually measuring a bit more than 13 inches in diameter and around 4 inches high. They are normally available with a re-charging station and infrared transmitter units, known as 'virtual walls'.

The robotic vacuum uses its own infrared receiver and a sensitive bumper to find its way around a room. The 'virtual walls' are set to stop the device from cleaning certain areas. The autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner can be activated manually or can be set to clean at times of your choice. In addition, the 'virtual walls' can be timed to turn on and off to suit certain cleaning schedules.

Roombas find their way around rooms by utilizing a number of simple formulas. Other makes of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner actually map out rooms and store the information, while others have dust detectors.

Once the robotic vacuum cleaner has finished its cleaning, it returns to the charging base where it automatically refills its batteries and can be easily found.

Like any ultra-modern technology, autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners have had their problems, such as not functioning properly on certain surfaces or getting caught up in electrical cables. However, as robotic vacuum cleaners improve these glitches are being solved bit by bit and the majority of today's cleaners are efficient and effective.

If you do decide to purchase autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner be sure to pick one of high quality that has the necessary features to handle your house. The robotic vacuum cleaner should hold enough power in a single charge to clean your entire home. It should also be able to sense when it is moving from one kind of surface to another and when it is approaching sharp drops like stairs.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are sold with all kinds of extra features, depending on how much you want to spend. Such features include timers, dirt detectors and the aforementioned 'virtual walls' and re-charging stations. Take a look at what is available and listen to other users' experiences to find a quality product that will keep your home shipshape.