Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Articles
IRobot Roomba Robot Vacuum And Mop Combo Just Beat Its Black Friday Price On Amazon
After a full day of work, plus the time it takes to run errand, cook dinner, and take care of the kids, when is anyone supposed to actually get around to cleaning their house? It's not crazy if you fall behind on vacuuming when you're doing it yourself, so just stop doing it yourself. Why not delegate that work to a robot who knows nothing but vacuuming? Well, vacuuming and mopping. The iRobot Roomba combination robot vacuum and mop does exactly that and right now it's 43% off as part of a limited time deal. You can get it for just $199.
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Ideal for Pet Hair, Carpet and Hard FloorsKeeping your house or apartment clean isn't an easy thing to do when your schedule is filled to the brim. A Roomba can take the load off for you with its complete four-stage cleaning system. It will vacuum and mop in just one pass, using a special brush to get in those tight corners so dust won't gather. It's small height let's it easily get under couches and coffee tables for a more thorough cleaning of your home.
With the help of a smart navigation system, the Roomba robot vacuum learns your home layout so it can optimally do its job. It'll clean in neat rows and sensors help it find it's way through and around furniture. It can sense when it's approaching stairs so you'll always come home to a clean home and not an upside down robot at the base of your steps.
Set and forget thanks to the iRobot Home app which allows you to have your Roomba clean while you're away from the house. The app can suggest cleaning schedules and provide a clean map report so you can see exactly how well it covered every exposed surface on the floor of your home. In need of a cleaning off-schedule? Just ask Alexa, Siri, or you Google Assistant to send the Roomba on its way.
The specialized microfiber mop pad can take care of footprints, dirt, and dust like no other. Add a compatible cleaning solution instead of water for an even more robust mopping of your floors, leaving them fresh and clean.
Don't stress anymore when you get home about having to mop and vacuum. You should enjoy a clean home when you get back from a long day of work, and the iRobot Roomba combination mop and vacuum can make that happen for just $199—a 43% discount.
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IRobot Just Launched Four New Roomba Models To Reimagine Its Entire Product Line
iRobot/ZDNETiRobot has been known as a robot vacuum standard since its launch over 20 years ago. Today the company announced a complete redesign of almost its entire product line, with new entry-level, midrange, and high-end robot vacuums. Almost every model features an AutoEmpty Dock and mopping variant to round out the Roomba catalog.
The new Roombas include the 105 model and 105 Combo starting at $299, the Roomba 205 DustCompactor and a Combo variant starting at $449, the Plus 405 Combo Robot and AutoWash Dock at $799, and the Roomba Plus 505 Combo Robot and AutoWash Dock at $999.
Also: I knew this robot vacuum was a winner just hours after testing it - here's why
iRobot is looking to this launch to simplify and better clarify its product line for consumers by giving the products more specific tiers according to their capabilities. Now, iRobot models will be classified into the entry-level Roomba, midrange Roomba Plus, and flagship Roomba Max. Similarly, the robot vacuums will have a Vac and Combo variant, the latter for robot vacuum and mops combination robots. Additionally, iRobot will feature an optional AutoEmpty dock for the Roomba 105.
"The launch of these robots represents more than the consistent progress of our exceptional innovation team," said Gary Cohen, iRobot CEO.
Also: Finally, a reliable 2-in-1 robot vacuum that outperforms models that cost hundreds more
"They underscore the return of iRobot as the category creator and our leadership position that was established more than three decades ago. Last year, we reinvented our iRobot Research & Development Labs, and these robots are the result of our world-class engineers' and designers' brilliance."
iRobotSome of the biggest evidence of reinvention includes a new look for the robots with a geometric design and a protruding set of LiDAR sensors in all but the Roomba 205, which is a first for the brand. Though iRobot maintains the Roomba Combo 10 Max as its flagship robot vacuum, this will also be the only device to feature the retractable mop pad with mechanical arms.
Also: 10 ways to maximize your robot vacuum's cleaning efficiency and battery life
Here is how iRobot is laying out its new lineup of robot vacuums:
iRobot model Variations available Starting price Roomba 105 Vacuum only, Vacuum only and AutoEmpty dock, Combo (Vacuum and mop), Combo and AutoEmpty dock $299 Roomba 205 DustCompactor Vacuum only, Combo (Vacuum and mop) $449 Roomba Plus 405 Combo (Vacuum and mop) and AutoWash dock $799 Roomba Plus 505 Combo (Vacuum and mop) and AutoWash dock $999 Roomba Combo 10 Max Combo (Vacuum and mop) and AutoWash dock $1,400While the Roomba 105 and 205 Combo variants will feature the iRobot mop pad, the midrange Plus 405 and 505 will be the first to feature rotating mop pads. These mop pads have been commonplace in other brands of robot vacuum and mops for several years, many of which are now shifting to mop rollers instead of pads. IRobot says most of the changes were made following customer feedback.
Also: Roborock's new AI-powered vacuums with market-leading suction are on sale now
The Roomba 205 stands out from the lineup for having a compactor built into the robot's dustbin. The Roomba 205 DustCompactor is available with a vacuum-only variation and a Combo variation, which also has the mopping feature. The DustCompactor in the dustbin pushes collected dust and debris to one side, making room for more dust in the next cleaning. Though your mileage may vary, the feature can pack away months' worth of dust. This approach means you don't have to empty the dustbin after each cleaning and can have a charging dock with a small footprint, thanks to the lack of a self-empty feature.
All new Roomba models and their variations will be available for pre-sale on March 18 at iRobot.Com.
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Business As iRobot faces uncertainty about its future, experts say its disappearance could leave a hole in the robotics industry.
The iRobot headquarters in Bedford, Massachusettss. Sophie Park, Bloomberg It was a stunning turn of events when iRobot canceled its fourth quarter meeting in March, saying the company has had "substantial doubt" about its ability to stay afloat.
It was a far cry from the glory days of the Bedford, Massachusetts-based operation, when it transformed itself from a defense company to the first of its kind consumer robot company, with its creation of the at-home vacuum cleaner, the Roomba.
"If you look back at iconic robots, which ones would you pick?" asked Hanumant Singh, director of the Master of Science in Robotics program at Northeastern. "Most people, when they think about iconic robots, think of something that came in a sci-fi movie," such as R2-D2 or Star Trek's Data.
He continued, "But if you think about the iconic robots that went into someone's house, I would say the Roomba would be close to the top of the list."
The turn of events began in January when Amazon announced it wouldn't be acquiring iRobot after facing regulatory scrutiny and opposition from European and U.S. Antitrust regulators, who raised concerns over competition issues.
Despite introducing a new lineup of robot vacuums and mops that hit the market on March 18, the company canceled its fourth quarter meeting, citing doubts that it can continue past the end of the fiscal year.
Mass.-based iRobot to lay off 31% of staff as Amazon calls off bid to buy amid pushback in Europe
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"There can be no assurance that the new product launches will be successful," the release said.
iRobot also disclosed that it had reduced its headcount by more than 50% from 2023, to 541. Even so, the company's December 2024 annual report said the total revenue, $681.8 million, was down 23.4% from the previous year.
The company's report also stated that it expects to "incur operating losses for the foreseeable future" and may not become profitable, incurring substantial losses due to less product demand, increased competition, and macroeconomic conditions, such as tariffs.
During the fourth quarter announcement, the company did not provide a 2025 outlook and stated it has no timeline for the board to do a review.
iRobot was the first of its kindiRobot was founded in 1990 by three MIT roboticists, Colin Angle, Helen Greiner, and Rodney Brooks, when the robotics industry was still in its infancy.
iRobot's origins were in defense work. Singh said one of the biggest challenges of the Iraq War was mine-countering measures. The company's first robot, Ariel, walked like a crab and could withstand strong waves.
At the time, Singh explained, the only alternative was a torpedo-shaped robot that wasn't very effective, making Greiner's innovation a "big, big deal."
An iRobot Roomba vacuum inside a Best Buy store. David Paul Morris, Bloomberg Singh noted that the startup struggled early on, and it wasn't until the Roomba launched that "everything came together."
David Barrett, a professor at the MIT Department of Mechancial Engineering and iRobot's 22nd employee, said the Roomba was a "happy accident," after a project in industrial floor cleaning robots never met the market.
Seeing a product resembling a "frisbee with wheels," the company wondered if there was an opportunity in the consumer marketplace, a path no other robotics company had made.
"(iRobot) was a unicorn," said Barrett. "But it demonstrated that the robot could make money for the first time."
Tom Ryden, CEO of Mass Robotics and a former company employee in its early days, said the company grew and became the dominant player in the field when no one else was.
"iRobot was inspirational because they were the first ones to go out and do something like this," said Ryden.
Because no other company was developing at-home robots like iRobot, the company could bring in the "best of the best," and "they did," Ryden said. The company grew; over time, many employees left and created their own startups.
There are people from the company in high levels and positions at places like Boston Dynamics, Rise Robotics, and Oxipital, and this trend continues with a new startup called P!NG, one of whose co-founders came out of iRobot.
"All of these companies, some of those guys got their start at iRobot," said Ryden.
However, over time, technology has become more of a commodity. Some players in China have come out with cheaper systems, so the "competition got very stiff," he said.
When the Chinese entered the autonomous robot business, Singh said it was challenging to compete with them in terms of price.
Then there was the proposed acquisition by Amazon, said Singh. "When that didn't happen, that was the death."
A 'big hole' in the robotics industryIf iRobot were to fail, Ryden said it would leave a big hole in the state's robotics industry.
"It's great to have a leading robotics company here in the state of Massachusetts," said Ryden. "It draws people, it draws talent, draws excitement, and that helps the robotics community as a whole."
Ryden said the failure of Amazon to acquire the company was disappointing.
"But I think we need to be aware of this technology and what it can do and can't do," said Ryden. "I think there was a concern that the knowledge that the Roomba would gather from moving around the home would be shared to Amazon, and that's a problem."
But now "folks are buying Chinese robots that are gathering that same data and sending it to China. So we're actually worse off than if Amazon bought them."
He hopes another company will step in and that the U.S. Will continue to see developments in the industry.
Barrett said the robotics industry has changed a lot since the '90s.
"The robots that were your grandparents' dreams 30 years ago are now commonplace," Barrett said.
iRobot has built up a community of industrial roboticists, Singh said, and one of its most significant legacies is that the people who work there make fundamental differences in the world.
"There's a huge, big difference between doing the theory, writing a paper about it, doing some experiments … and then pushing out relatively low-cost product that works on an application that matters to people in their homes," said Singh. "That's big."
Timeline: Flip the arrow to check out how iRobot has transformed over the years:1990:
iRobot was founded by three MIT roboticists: Colin Angle, Helen Greiner, and Rodney Brooks.
1991:
iRobot develops Genghis, a robot designed for space exploration.
1996:
iRobot develops Ariel, a robot that detects and eliminates mines in surf zones.
2001:
The iRobot PackBot searches at the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11 attacks.
2002:
iRobot launches the Roomba floor vacuuming bot. The iRobot PackBot is deployed with US troops for the first time. IRobot and the National Geographic Society develop a robot that searches the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
2005:
iRobot stock begins trading on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, selling for $24 per share.
2010:
iRobot helps monitor the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, using the Seaglider Unmanned Underwater Vehicle.
2012:
iRobot acquires Evolution Robotics. More than 5,000 defense and security robots delivered worldwide.
2016:
iRobot announces it is selling its defense and security business to Arlington Capital Partners for up to $45 million.
2017:
iRobot acquires Sales on Demand Corporation and Robopolis.
2021:
iRobot acquires air purification company Aeris Cleantec. More than 40 million home robots sold worldwide.
2022:
In August 2022, iRobot entered into an agreement and plan of merger with Amazon.
2024:
In January, iRobot and Amazon announced the termination of the acquisition after facing regulatory scrutiny and opposition from European and US antitrust regulators, who raised concerns over competition issues. IRobot also disclosed that it would lay off about 31% of its staff and that the CEO was departing.
2025:
On March 12, iRobot canceled its fourth quarter meeting, saying it has "substantial doubt" about its ability to continue past the end of the fiscal year.
The company introduced a new lineup that hit the market on March 18, joining the over 50 million consumer robots sold worldwide.
The story initially misidentified David Barrett. It has been updated.
Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.Com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.
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