The robotic vacuum cleaners is heating up with yet another Roomba-clone, this time from Asus.

Asus, better known fits Eee ne tbook PCs, is set to introduce the ECleaner robot in China and Taiwan at the end of the month. The robot will be offered by Asus’s subsidiary AGAiT Technology, says The Taiwan Economic News.

It is the second automated vacuum cleaner to debut this month. Last week, Neato Robotics, a Silico n Valley-based startup launched the Neato vacuum cleaner priced at $400.

Since iRobot introduced the first Roomba automated vacuum cleaner in 2002, it has sold more than 3 million units and the gadget has become a hit among geek heads looking for a quick fix to a tiresome chore. But surprisingly, the Roomba didn’t spawn too many competitors–till now.

Asus’ ECleane r is Roomba-like in its shape and form factor but it has a few nice upgrades. The ECleaner includes a 6000-hour UV light for disinfecting the floor, a slot for spreading fragrance and a remote control that fits neatly on top of the vacuum, says Robot Stock News.

Though details are scarce, from Asus’s v ideo, the ECleaner seems to work mor e like the Roomba in its cleaning, though it has a few pre-programmed patterns. The Roomba uses a randomized al gorithm to clean a room, which has led to complaints that it doesn’t always cover an area completely. The Neato has a laser mapping technology that creates an outline of the room and its objects so the robot can move in a systemic back and forth pattern to c over a cleaning surface.

As with the Roomba and Neato, the ECleaner has a photo sensor to detect stairs and avoid falling down. The ECleaner also retur ns to its battery char ge base automatically when it is done with its task or if the battery needs to be recharged.

Asus’ innovation lie s not in its ability to offer cutting-edge features but to launch products at prices that make it accessible to a much larger audience. The ECleaner is priced at around $150 (NT$5000), much cheaper than the Neato and competitive with the Roomba.

See Also:

Neato Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Challenges the RoombaLong Exposure Shows Web-Like Roomba Light-TrailSc arab: A Roomba For The Mean City StreetsRoomba Tweak for Neat FreaksHack: Control Roomba Vacuum Cleaner Using Wii Fit

Photo: Asus ECleaner