Chinese robotics firm Pudu Robotics has launched an autonomous AI-native compact scrubber-dryer robot for small commercial spaces.

The ET1 is built for cleaning areas of 100 to 800 square metres, including convenience stores, drugstores, chain restaurants, business and economy hotels, and office spaces.

As cleaning automation expands from large facilities to smaller commercial locations, businesses need robots that can navigate tight spaces without compromising performance or autonomy. Larger robots can be difficult to deploy in compact stores, while smaller machines often require more manual intervention. The ET1 addresses this gap by combining compact mobility with commercial-grade cleaning and full-process automation for small-format businesses.

It integrates scrubbing, sweeping, vacuuming and dust-mopping in one robot. Its front-sweep, rear-scrub structure handles dry debris and wet stains in a single pass, helping improve cleaning efficiency without repeated manual work.

For deeper stain removal, it combines a scrubbing roller speed of up to 800rpm with 20kPa suction to remove grease, footprints and stubborn stains while efficiently recovering dirt and wastewater. For sticky stains commonly found in restaurants, convenience stores and retail spaces, it supports 85˚C hot scrubbing, with hot water supplied by the docking station and maintained by the robot during operation.

Real-time roller mop self-cleaning continuously refreshes the roller to reduce dirt build-up and help prevent secondary contamination. Its streak-free cleaning design recovers dirty water, leaving floors dry with little residual moisture, helping reduce slip risks in customer-facing spaces.

The fully automated eight-in-one docking station, covers automatic charging, clean water refilling, wastewater drainage, detergent dispensing, roller mop rinsing, squeegee rinsing, roller spin-drying and water heating. After each task, it automatically returns to the station to complete a self-cleaning cycle, reducing daily manual intervention.

Auto dust collection transfers dust, hair and debris after cleaning tasks to reduce routine upkeep. This end-to-end automation allows small commercial spaces to move beyond robot-assisted cleaning towards a more hands-free operating model.

Pudu’s AI Magic Cleaning integrates perception, motion control and cleaning systems into a unified intelligent workflow. It supports autonomous mapping, automatic stain recognition, cleaning heatmaps and AI adaptive cleaning, continuously optimising each task based on real-time floor conditions.

With AI floor surface and stain recognition, it can detect carpet edges and lift the scrubbing roller to keep carpets dry, or lift the sweeping brush and side brush over liquid spills to prevent spreading mess and secondary contamination. For stubborn stains, AI adaptive scrubbing automatically lowers cruise speed, increases roller speed and boosts water output for deeper cleaning.

With auto mapping and one-click start, teams can begin cleaning without complex setup or manual mapping, lowering deployment barriers and enabling faster demonstrations.

The robot has an intuitive operating system with dedicated modes for managers and daily operators, built-in guidance, and proactive maintenance reminders. Its modular cleaning components are designed for quick removal and washing, helping teams maintain the robot more easily while reducing long-term operating costs.

Built for real-world small business environments, it can navigate spaces with a minimum clearance of 50cm in width and 60cm in height, allowing it to move through narrow aisles, shelf gaps and low-clearance areas. It can operate during business hours while reducing disruption to customers and staff, making all-day cleaning more practical in dynamic commercial spaces.

Its edge cleaning capability also helps improve coverage along walls, shelves and corners, addressing areas often missed in routine cleaning.

For retail scenarios, the ET1 (www.pudurobotics.com/en/products/et1) can be equipped with an optional 54.6cm advertising display, enabling stores to show promotions, product campaigns and brand content. With cloud-based content management and customisable body wraps, the robot can also serve as a mobile in-store marketing touchpoint, creating additional value beyond cleaning.

Pudu Robotics (www.pudurobotics.com) has shipped more than 130,000 robots across 85 countries and regions.