At IFA 2025 in Berlin, xLean Robotics unveiled what it calls the world’s first dual-form transformable floor washing robot. The xLean TR1 blends traditional robot mopping capabilities with a detachable handheld unit, aiming to cover the full spectrum of home cleanup needs – from daily floor maintenance to unexpected kitchen spills.
The unique feature of the TR1 is its one-second switch between robot and handheld modes. In robot form, it functions like a high-end floor washer: mapping your home, scrubbing with dual rollers spinning at 800 RPM, and navigating corners with its square chassis. In handheld form, it becomes an electric-assisted spot cleaner. This hybrid design addresses a major challenge with mopvacs: while current robots handle weekly whole-home cleanings, they’re ineffective for sudden messes like spilled milk or dropped pasta sauce. With the TR1, you can simply detach the handle and tackle the mess immediately – no mop or rags required.
Tackling Heavy Messes
The TR1 introduces new technology that xLean says will handle messes better than traditional mopvacs, in both robot and handheld form. Traditional robots rely on pads or rollers to soak up liquid and then try to clean themselves afterward, which can spread grime in the process.
With xLean's system – what they’re calling Dual Motor DirectSuction – the dual rollers are cleaned in real-time with fresh water as they scrub. Spinning at 800 RPM, grime on the rollers is then pulled into the vacuum system to ensure the rollers and your floor remain spotless.
Self-Evolving Intelligent Cleaning
Where most robot vacuums follow rigid, pre-programmed routines, the TR1 is built to learn directly from its user. Using an RGB-D camera, green laser sensor, and motor encoders, the handheld mode records how you approach a mess – which areas you focus on and how many passes you make.
This data transfers back to robot mode via Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF). Over time, the TR1 adapts to clean with “human intent,” essentially mirroring your personal cleaning style. Not only does it learn how to clean different types of messes in different environments, but it also knows how well it is cleaning and will only finish the task when the results meet your satisfaction.
Solving the Stinky Bin Problem
A major frustration with current floor-washing robots is their disposal bins: they tend to become smelly, moldy, and unpleasant to clean. The TR1’s OMNI Station addresses this head-on. It includes what xLean says is the world’s first mopvac disposal system for solid-liquid waste, separating solids larger than 2.5mm, air-drying them, and collecting liquids separately. This not only reduces odor but also cuts maintenance frequency to about one-quarter of typical wet-and-dry vacuum cleaners, according to xLean.
The station also performs 60°C hot-water flushing and sterilization of the robot’s rollers, ducts, and tanks, followed by automatic drying. The OMNI Station can be set up either to use its internal tanks or connected to your home plumbing for fresh water and draining.
Privacy, Connectivity, & Mapping
The TR1 features a camera privacy shutter, which, when closed, disables its learning functions but guarantees no video is captured of your home. It integrates with Apple’s ecosystem, supporting Matter and HomeKit for smart home setups.
Like other premium robot mopvacs, it offers fast mapping, multi-zone cleaning, LiDAR-based obstacle recognition, and app-based scheduling.
My Take
I see the detachable handle as a genuinely useful innovation. It bridges the gap between robots and manual cleaning, making it possible to rely on one device for both routine cleaning and those inevitable daily spills. The dual-roller cleaning system also looks promising for dealing with chunky, messy accidents that would overwhelm most mopvacs. And the solid–liquid waste separation with air-drying could solve one of the biggest turn-offs of current robots: bins that start to reek if you forget to clean them.
Availability
A global Kickstarter campaign for the xLean TR1 is set to launch shortly, with broader retail availability expected later. Learn more at xlean.ai.
