GTech develops efficient cordless vacuum cleaner

GTech’s AirRam device uses a novel arrangement of off-the-shelf components to compact and store dust a short distance from the collection point — negating the need for a long suction length and associated power.

The core of GTech’s current business is a cordless sweeper with a brush bar powered by a ~7V motor, with no suction. These are sold as an adjunct to vacuuming, but as Nick Grey, founder of GTech, explained, the ambition has always been to produce a model with suction.

‘If you go back to the 1940s, Hoover was getting very good results from 250W using a reasonable brush bar and a half-decent amount of air flow — you don’t need thousands of Watts of suction, it doesn’t really aid anything — it’s there for the benefit of marketers.’

In the AirRam there is a single 22.2V direct current motor, which powers the brush bars and also drives a fan to compress the dirt into bales that can be dropped in a bin. The motor is supplied by a mains-charged lithium-ion battery pack with a 40-minute runtime.