Robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi: creating and configuring a room map

Owning Xiaomi’s smart appliances opens up new horizons in home automation, but users often face difficulties in initially adjusting their navigation. A robotic assistant won’t be able to clean an apartment effectively unless it has a precise idea of the layout. It is the room map that is the foundation for all advanced cleaning scenarios, allowing the device to navigate through space rather than rushing around the rooms chaoticly.

The process of mapping depends on the type of navigation system installed in your model. LDS-Laser or LiDAR, which scans 360 degrees to create a high-precision plan. Budget models can rely on a gyroscope or vSLAM visual navigation, which requires different conditions for a successful start. Understanding the principles of sensors will help avoid common mistakes, such as the lack of lighting or the presence of mirrored surfaces.

In this article, we will take a look at the algorithms needed to build a map correctly, and how to edit and save the data you get, how to divide the map into rooms, install virtual walls, and what to do if the device “forgot” the layout after the update, and properly set up at the initial stage will save you hours of time in the future.

Principles of operation of navigation systems Xiaomi

Before you start scanning, you need to know which sensor is responsible for the orientation in your device. Most mid-to-high-end models, such as the Xiaomi Vacuum Mop 2 Pro or Roborock S7, have a laser rangefinder LDS. This module, located on the top panel, constantly rotates and emits laser beams, measuring the distance to objects. This data builds a point cloud, which is converted into a two-dimensional floor plan.

Models with vSLAM use a camera that is pointed up or forward to read visual landmarks on the ceiling or walls. It's critical for these robots to have good lighting indoors. If you try to start building a map in the dark, the device may lose orientation or create a distorted plan with blind spots. Laser models are less dependent on light, but may have difficulty with black surfaces that absorb radiation.

The scanning process requires space, small objects, wires, socks and toys must be removed from the floor, the robot perceives them as obstacles to be bypassed, and can include them in the map as stationary objects, which will lead to the fact that in the future, even after cleaning things, the device will try to circumnavigate the empty space, considering it a wall or furniture.

• 🔴 Laser sensors LDS They are the most accurate and work in all lighting.
• 🔵 Gyroscopic navigation takes longer to build a map and often creates “broken” plans.
• 🟢 VSLAM visual navigation is sensitive to light and texture contrast in the room.

⚠️ Warning: Do not place the robot on high surfaces (sofas, tables) during the first start of map construction. Sensors may incorrectly calculate the height of the fall, which will cause an emergency stop or damage to the device.

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For models with a laser rangefinder (turret on top), remove all items above 10-15 cm from the path so that the laser can “see” the walls rather than the legs of the furniture.

Preparation of the room and device for scanning

The success of the operation depends on preparing the environment. Before the Xiaomi robot vacuum cleaner starts building a map, make sure that all the doors to the rooms that should be included in the plan are open. If the door is closed, the algorithm will consider this area as a separate, isolated space or not include it in the general map at all if the passage is blocked completely.

The charging station must be mounted against the wall in an open space, at least 0.5 meters on the sides of the base, and at least 1.5 meters in front of the base, so that the robot can freely maneuver around the base at start and return, and if the base is in a niche or corner surrounded by furniture, the robot can lose it when trying to return to charging after the scan is completed.

Check the battery level before starting the procedure. It's an energy-intensive process, especially for large apartments. If the charge drops below 20% during the scan, the device can interrupt the operation and return to base, saving only a partial card. Ideally, the battery should be 100% charged.

Xiaomi standard robots are able to overcome thresholds up to 2 cm. If there are higher steps in the apartment, the robot will perceive them as insurmountable obstacles or, worse, will try to drive in and get stuck. In such cases, it is recommended to use virtual walls or physical limiters (if the model supports magnetic tape) to prevent access to dangerous areas.

Step-by-step map-building process

Once the preparatory steps are complete, you can proceed to the direct launch. Open the Mi Home app (or Xiaomi Home) on your smartphone and make sure the robot is connected to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. Go to the main device control screen. In the upper right corner, there is often a settings menu or an optional menu (three dots) call button.

In the control menu, find the section that is responsible for the map. In different versions of firmware, it can be called "Maps settings", "Map" or have a floor icon. If the map is not already created, the application will prompt you to start the process. Select the option "Build a map" or "Scan." Some models require switching to "Silent Clean" mode or a specially dedicated "Mapping" mode, where the suction is turned off to save energy and reduce noise.

Start cleaning. The robot will start moving from the base, describing the spiral or moving around the perimeter, exploring the space. At this point, the smartphone screen will display in real time the plan under construction. Do not interfere with the process: do not take the robot in your hands, do not move the base and try not to walk on the trajectory of the device, so as not to shoot down the sensors.

The process will end automatically when the robot explores the entire available area and returns to base. If the apartment is very large, the device may require recharging in the middle of the process. Modern Xiaomi models are able to remember the point where they left off, charge and continue building the map from the same place. However, for the first time, it is better that one charge is enough for the entire house.

• 🟠 Do not open or close the doors during the scanning process – it will knock the geometry of the room.
• 🟣 Avoid bright lights that are directed directly at the robot’s sensors.
• 🟡 Make sure the curtains on the windows are lowered so that the sun's glare doesn't interfere with the sensors.

Editing the map: splitting and renaming

Once the plan is built, it needs to be structured. The robot sees the apartment as a single space by default. For ease of control (for example, to clean only the kitchen), the map should be divided into rooms. In the application, go to the map editing mode (usually the pencil icon or the Edit button).

Use the Split tool. You'll need to draw a line on the floor where doorways or boundaries between functional areas are located. The app automatically recognizes rooms and assigns them names. You can manually rename them by selecting from the list: Living room, Bedroom, Kitchen, etc. This will allow you to give commands in the future by voice or through scripts, such as "Clean the living room."

Also available is the function of combining rooms if the robot mistakenly divided one large room into two parts. The Merge tool allows you to erase the partition line. Once you finish editing, be sure to click the Save button. Without saving, all changes will be lost after the next cleaning.

It's important to identify the areas with the carpets correctly, and you can also see areas with carpets in the map settings, so that the robot can automatically increase the suction power when it comes to the carpet, or, in the case of detergent models, lift a wet cloth so that it doesn't wet the pile.

Configure virtual restrictions and zones

One of the most powerful features of Xiaomi’s smart vacuum cleaners is the ability to create invisible barriers. Unlike older models that required the purchase of physical magnetic tapes, modern devices use software constraints. From the map menu, select the Virtual Wall tool (No-go zone).

You can draw a line or a rectangle in any part of the map, and the robot will perceive that area as an impassable wall.