Robot vacuum cleaners have been hoovering up more than dust and grime as they autonomously travel around owners' floors, and the information could soon be shared with technology giants.

iRobot's robot hoovers use mapping technology to learn floor plans of customers' houses, which could be shared with companies such as Apple, Amazon and Google.

The automated Roomba vacuum cleaners, which cost as much as £900, are fitted with tech that can chart everything from the size of a room to where furniture is located.

iRobot has said this information could be shared with third party companies in the future as more tech companies look to cash in on the smart home. The data could be used in smart home devices, such as speakers and air conditioners, or to help companies find owners new properties.

"There's an entire ecosystem of things and services that the smart home can deliver once you have a rich map of the home that the user has allowed to be shared," Colin Angle, chief executive of iRobot, told Reuters.