Anyonebot M1

Anyonebot says its core team includes robotics engineers who led development of DJI flagship robots and the EcoFlow Blade, and that it spent more than two and a half years, starting in December 2022, designing the M1. The result, according to the Kickstarter project page, is a mower built around what the company calls a dual perception system: AI vision navigation combined with smart blade sensing.

Vision instead of wires

Where many robot mowers rely on boundary wires, RTK positioning or LiDAR, the maker says the M1 uses camera-based AI to map the yard, recognise obstacles and plan its route. It claims the robot scans and builds its map right after start-up, cutting setup that could take hours with base-station RTK systems down to about 1 minute. A 5TOPS AI chip handles processing. Users can draw no-go zones in the Anyonebot app, such as a barbecue area or play space, with what the maker describes as centimetre-level accuracy.

Two mowing modes are offered: Systematic mode follows straight, efficient lines in open lawns, while Smart Seek mode is intended for gardens with trees, flower beds and uneven terrain, using AI vision to find uncut areas along natural routes.

Blades that read the lawn

Smart blade sensing, the maker says, detects grass type and density in real time, recognising varieties such as tall fescue and bluegrass and adjusting blade speed and cutting style to reduce stress on the turf. The blades are made from 65Mn high-carbon manganese steel, quoted at HRC60 hardness and 180MPa tensile strength.

Key specifications and features (per the maker)

• Dual 500W brushless DC motors on the rear wheels
• Handles slopes up to 45%
• Edge cutting to within 5cm
• IPX6 water resistance; body can be hosed down
• Low-noise design, with camera lighting and indicator lights for darker conditions
• Rain sensor triggers a return to the charging station
• Auto-recharge and resume from where it stopped
• Lift sensor stops the blades if the robot is lifted or tilted too far
• Cloud-based OTA updates for new algorithms and features
• App with multi-zone management, scheduling, map view, mode switching, work history and real-time status

Anyonebot positions the M1 for homeowners, gardening enthusiasts and professional gardeners, and says OTA updates could add capabilities such as recognition of more grass types and improved obstacle avoidance over time.