# The Day My Smart Vacuum Turned Against Me **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 31, 2025, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447 "2025-10-31T13:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/21 "2025-10-31T23:27:45Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > As an engineer, I can attest that engineers almost always view operational data as useful. An obvious reason that the maps might be uploaded is so that the company can evaluate how the vacuum navigates in differently shaped rooms, and tweak the algorithm to improve its performance. Of course, ethically, the desire for such data, and the details of exactly what is uploaded, has to be weighed against privacy issues. This was my guess > [@markn\_1](#): > > However, sending a kill message to the vacuum is just evil. Agreed ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/22 "2025-11-01T15:46:12Z")
A product which is a bit more serious than chinese vacuum cleaners:: Chinese cars. Here is an army which has totally banned all Chinese-made cars from all military bases, due to fear of spying. > **[IDF bans Chinese vehicles from bases amid espionage fears | CTech](https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/y880aq7z6)** > > Military cites surveillance concerns over sensors and cameras; ban expanded to all EVs. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/23 "2025-11-01T17:01:07Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > What does some operator all the way over in China care what the floor plan of a non-descript house in the US is? And what can they do with the info? Targeted weapons are getting better and better. They don’t want to accidentally hit the cats. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/24 "2025-11-01T19:13:59Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > A product which is a bit more serious than chinese vacuum cleaners:: > Chinese cars. I hear people raving out how much more advanced Chinese BEVs are because they greet the owner and frequent passengers identified through facial and voice recognition, have learn what their driving habits and frequent destinations are, et cetera, and all I can think is this is basically a perfect surveillance device masquerading as a vehicle. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/25 "2025-11-01T20:19:46Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > However, sending a kill message to the vacuum is just evil. Uhh… yeah! That’s what happened to me. That’s why I don’t vacuum! Honest! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/26 "2025-11-01T21:30:59Z")
He seems surprised by some of the things he found, and I’m not sure why. Yes, of course there’s a computer inside of his vacuum-cleaner robot, and of course it’s running 3D mapping software. How could a robot vacuum not have those? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/27 "2025-11-01T21:46:55Z")
I don’t see anything in the blog post that suggests that he was surprised about mapping abilities, and he was certainly aware that there was a microcontroller with sensors and an embedded OS because he is clearly familiar with these systems. His big revelations is that it was “constantly communicating with its manufacturer, transmitting logs and telemetry that I had never consented to share,” and that when he blocked “its data logging IP address” (not sure if it has a separate MAC address specifically for sending the data stream or if he actually just blocked a specific port) but when he did so the device became nonfunctional, and in further investigation he found that, “The device came with _rtty_ software installed by default. This small piece of software allows remote root access to the device, enabling the manufacturer to run any command or install any script remotely without the customer’s knowledge.” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/28 "2025-11-01T21:50:49Z")
This: > [@](#): > > Inside, the iLife A11 wasn’t just a vacuum cleaner; it was a small computer on wheels. At its core, I discovered: > > - An AllWinner A33 SoC running a full Linux OS (TinaLinux) > - A GD32F103 microcontroller managing motors and sensors > - Lidar, gyros, encoders — the works > > It was a marvel of cheap engineering, but also a privacy nightmare waiting to happen. seems pretty surprised, to me. As does > [@](#): > > Then, I encountered a bigger surprise: the device was running Google Cartographer, a professional-grade SLAM system used for autonomous mapping and robotics. > > This inexpensive vacuum was utilizing top-tier robotics software to construct a live 3D map of my home. What began as a malfunctioning vacuum transformed into an open-source robot research platform. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/29 "2025-11-02T00:37:56Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > he blocked “its data logging IP address” This almost certainly means he blocked the IP address of the of the system that receives the data logs. It is not terribly difficult figure out what IP addresses the vacuum is connecting to, and a bit of sniffing will show which ones are receiving the most data. That address can then be blocked by a variety of means, but the easiest is to just put a DROP ALL rule in your router’s firewall. > [@Chronos](#): > > seems pretty surprised, to me. As does I interpreted the surprise as being how powerful of a computer and software it was using, not that it was using any computer and software at all. The original Roomba did all this with the systems that were available 25 years ago, and drew the map based on randomly bumping into things. This vacuum is using something roughly equivalent to what you’d find in a budget Android smart phone and drawing maps with LASERS(!) and sophisticated mapping software. The old Neato vacuum I had was similarly equipped with LIDAR, but it let me view the maps in the phone app. I don’t know what software it used to draw them. It was clearly the interior of my house, but distorted like when looking at 16th century maps. Fortunately for any current Neato owners, now that the company is gone and their servers turned off, the vacuum worked fine without any internet connection, and using only the buttons on the top of the vacuum. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/30 "2025-11-02T01:15:47Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > I interpreted the surprise as being how powerful of a computer and software it was using, not that it was using any computer and software at all. The original Roomba did all this with the systems that were available 25 years ago, and drew the map based on randomly bumping into things. There comes a point with electronics where it’s cheaper to use the more powerful system, just because it’s current and therefore off the shelf. Sure, you could do it with a lesser computer… if you could find one. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/31 "2025-11-02T01:35:42Z")
Exactly ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/32 "2025-11-02T02:00:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > He seems surprised by some of the things he found, and I’m not sure why. Yes, of course there’s a computer inside of his vacuum-cleaner robot, and of course it’s running 3D mapping software. How could a robot vacuum not have those? Have I not mentioned the OG iRobot I had once? It did not have any cameras or computers or mapping software; what it had was bumpers and an algorithm that caused it, among other things, to bounce off obstacles at a random angle. Such a dynamical system is ergodic, and it will therefore clean the whole room. It might take thrice as long as doing it yourself with a manual vacuum, but the point is, it works automatically. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/33 "2025-11-02T02:48:55Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Have I not mentioned the OG iRobot I had once? It did not have any cameras or computers or mapping software; what it had was bumpers and an algorithm that caused it, among other things, to bounce off obstacles at a random angle. Such a dynamical system is ergodic, and it will therefore clean the whole room. My grand-daughter has a crab toy that I think was built from old roomba electronics. It moves around the room playing a fun little tune, and turns back and forth when an “eye” senses and object approaching and wobbles changing its direction so it moves about the room. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/34 "2025-11-02T03:17:52Z")
Did I tell you about my haunted Furby? ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/35 "2025-11-02T14:51:22Z")
**Beckdawreck** , I can tell you from experience that ALL Furbys(ies) are haunted. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2025, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/36 "2025-11-03T22:55:34Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Such a dynamical system is ergodic, and it will therefore clean the whole room. Eventually, sure, but I’d expect it to take long enough that the batteries would die first. Probably multiple times. Which would be a real hassle, since it presumably also can’t find its charging station on its own. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/37 "2025-11-04T11:02:26Z")
It cleaned the room in, let’s say, 45 minutes(?)— the battery lasted for at least an hour— and it could, in fact, find its own charging station thanks to a simple IR sensor (the charging dock emitted an infrared signal). This is light residential cleaning, mind you, not some kind of industrial environment, but it definitely did what was advertised. [And it did not need radar, lidar, sonar, an HD camera cluster, and a multi-core system-on-a-chip with GPU and AI subprocessors plus cloud computing to do it.] ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447/38 "2025-11-04T16:02:17Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Look @3AxisCtrl, I can see you’re really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over. I just checked the IP address on that, and that message was actually sent from your smart toaster! Walk slowly out of the house. Now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-day-my-smart-vacuum-turned-against-me/1024447.md?page=1)