I initially skipped this comment as sarcasm; it’s not! For other readers, the context: Valetudo is a custom firmware project.
> Cloud replacement for vacuum robots enabling local-only operation
> Cloud replacement for vacuum robots enabling local-only operation
This is a distinction that is worth making because the robot is still running and relying on all of the on-robot proprietary code; it's just the in-cloud code that has been replaced.
I think it's also not quite correct to say the low-level firmware is unmodified, because with vale tudo you rely on the project author to provide a minimal rootkit that gets customized on a per-serial-number basis for the initial rooting.
from a high-level though, it delivers what it says on the tin - cloud features without any requirement of packets leaving your network or even the robot itself.
here's a talk from the author discussing his research https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfMfYOUYZvc
Why on earth would you do it?! It was literally the comment I visit HN for - a solution for the problem we basically all have, already tested by someone, starting a thread with people's experience of it.
Middle would imply there being another end still.