Xiaomi’s modern robotic assistants are impressively functional, but their performance is directly dependent on the quality of navigation. Many users face a situation where the device moves randomly around the apartment or refuses to clean certain areas. This is because the gadget does not have an accurate digital model of your home. Creating a quality map is the first and most important step to automating cleaning.
The mapping process is the foundation for all advanced features, such as zoning, virtual wall installation, and selective room cleaning. Without a properly stored room plan, the robot will not be able to optimally line routes, which leads to increased operating time and skipping sites. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to properly conduct the initial scan and edit the resulting scheme.
It’s worth noting that different models, whether it’s Roborock S50, Xiaomi Vacuum Mop 2 Pro or newer versions with a laser rangefinder (LDS), use similar algorithms in the Mi Home app. However, the nuances of calibration can vary depending on the firmware version and type of sensors. Understanding the principles of navigation system will allow you to avoid typical errors and get a perfectly clean floor with minimal effort.
Preparation of the premises before the first launch
Before you start scanning, you need to prepare space. The robot vacuum cleaner relies on lidar data and collision sensors, so foreign objects can confuse it. Remove wires, toys, clothes and other small objects from the floor that can wind on the brush or be perceived as an obstacle.
Provide good lighting in the apartment. Although laser rangefinders work independently of light, cameras (if they are in the model) and elevation sensors need normal visibility. Open the curtains and turn on the lights in all rooms where cleaning is planned. Also make sure that the doors to the rooms to be included in the map are open.
⚠️ Warning: Do not start mapping if water is spilled on the floor or dark carpets with a high pile lie on the floor. Laser sensor may not correctly calculate the distance to dark surfaces, and moisture is dangerous for electronics.
It is important to make sure that the base station is installed correctly, it should be against the wall, on the sides of it should be free at least 0.5 meters, and in front - at least 1.5 meters of free space, which is necessary for the correct exit and return of the device.
The process of initial map construction
To get started, open the Mi Home app on your smartphone and select your robot vacuum cleaner. In the control menu, find the start button. For the initial scan, the best option is to choose Quiet mode or standard cleaning mode, but not Maximum mode, so that the device moves smoothly and methodically. The robot's task at this point is not so much to collect dust as to scan the geometry of the room.
During the first pass, the device will move around the perimeter of the room, and then zigzags will fill the space. The smartphone screen will display the circuit under construction in real time. Do not interrupt the process, even if the robot is stuck for the first time - it is better to carefully release it and allow it to continue. Interruption can lead to the fact that saving the map will not happen or it will be fragmented.
☑️ Checklist before the start of the map
After the first round is completed, the robot usually suggests saving the card. Accept this action. If the device does not offer saving automatically, do it manually through the map menu in the app. Give the card a clear name, such as "Apartment" or "Home", to distinguish it in the future if you decide to create multiple profiles.
Editing the map and dividing into rooms
Often, a robot will perceive the living room and the corridor as a single unit, or, conversely, divide one large room into two parts from beyond the threshold. To fix this, the Mi Home app has a powerful map editor. Go to the map settings and select the Rooms Division tool.
With this tool, you can draw a virtual line where the robot made a mistake, for example, if the kitchen and the corridor are combined, draw a line along the doorway or flooring boundary, and the app will automatically separate the zones, and you can assign each one a different name.
- 🏠 Name: Assign each area a name (Bedroom, Kitchen, Bathroom) for easy management.
- 🚫 Invisible walls: Install virtual barriers in places where the robot should not go (e.g. around a pets bowl).
- 🔄 Unification: If a robot splits one room into two, use the Unite tool to erase the extra boundary.
The accuracy of separation is critical to selective cleaning, so if you want to remove only the kitchen, the robot needs to understand the boundaries of the kitchen, and errors at this point will cause the device to drive into adjacent areas or leave dirt at the borders.
Configuring virtual walls and forbidden areas
One of the most useful features of Xiaomi's ecosystem is the ability to create no-go zones, which are areas on a map where a robot vacuum cleaner is not allowed to go, and this is true for places where there are flowers, where there are wires, where there are pet toys.
From the map editing menu, select the No-Go Zone option. You can choose the shape of a square or a line. The square is convenient for isolating specific objects, and the line is convenient for blocking entire passages or thresholds. The size of the zone can be adjusted by stretching its boundaries with your finger on the smartphone screen.
⚠️ Warning: Virtual walls only work if you have a saved card, and if you reset the map or move the base to another location, all the configured zones will disappear and you will have to recreate them.
There's also the Invisible Walls mode, which works similarly, but is often used to lock entire rooms temporarily, for example, if the living room is being renovated or there's an open box of things, you can temporarily deny access without changing the physical layout.
Comparison of navigation methods of Xiaomi robots
Understanding how your gadget builds a map will help you manage it better. Different models use different positioning technologies. Below is a table comparing the main types of navigation found in the brand’s devices.
| Type of navigation | Principle of work | Map accuracy | Working in the dark |
|---|---|---|---|
| LDS (Laser) | Laser scanning by 360° | High (up to mm) | Yes. |
| VSLAM (Camera) | Medium/High | Only with light. | |
| gyroscope | Low (no map) | Yes. | |
| Accidental | Chaotic movement | Absent. | Yes. |
Models with LDS-And the sensors -- the tower on top -- make the map the fastest and most accurate (VSLAM) They require good lighting and can get lost in monochromatic interiors. Gyroscopic models build a route map, but they don't keep the editing room plan.
Why can the map shift?
Solution: Problems with preservation and updating
Sometimes users find that the map is not saved or disappears after rebooting, most often because the base station has been displaced even by a few centimeters, the robot ties the map to the base coordinates, and if the base is shifted, the device thinks that it is in another place, and can not match the current position with the stored circuit.
Another reason is a weak Wi-Fi signal. Card data transfer and firmware updates require a stable connection. If the router is far away, try moving it closer or using a repeater. Also make sure the server in the Mi Home application is selected correctly (the region must match the region of the device).
If the map is curved (rooms are skewed), try cleaning the sensors. Clean the laser rangefinder and collision sensors with soft cloth. Dust on the sensors distorts the data, leading to errors in the geometry of the room.
- 📶 Signal: Check the Wi-Fi level at the base parking lot.
- 🧹 Clean sensors: regularly wipe the sensor windows.
- 📍 Base position: Do not move the station after mapping.
Tips for maintenance and improving navigation
To maintain high accuracy, update your device software regularly. Xiaomi engineers are constantly improving their algorithms for avoiding obstacles and building routes through firmware updates. You can check for updates in the device settings in the application.
Use Map Recovery if the robot is lost. Newer models have the option of reloading the map from the cloud. If you moved or repositioned it, you'd better create a new map from scratch by removing the old one through the settings menu.
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If you have a two-story house, create a separate map for each floor, and the robot can't remember stairs, and it will fall if it tries to go to the second level without a virtual barrier.
Remember that the perfect map is the result of a collaboration between the machine and the user, and the proper preparation of the room and the proper setting of the zones in the application will allow your assistant to work independently for months, requiring only emptying the dust container.
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The key to success is the stable position of the base station. Never move the base until you have completed all the map settings and zoning.