There’s plenty of reason to celebrate today. 382 years ago, those radical Puritans braved the Atlantic to found what would become America’s preeminent city, Boston. Without Boston of course, MIT roboticists may not have founded iRobot in 1990 and without iRobot, we wouldn’t be celebrating the 10 year birthday of the leading robotics developer’s flagship product, the Roomba.
The Roomba is iRobot’s hockey puck-looking vacuum that, when turned on, zooms around your floor with a mind of its own and cleans it better than traditional do-it-yourself vacuums. To celebrate, iRobot has whipped up an infographic that boasts how many countries and houses the Roomba cleans in, how much dirt it’s cleaned in comparison to behemoth animals and skyscrapers, and interestingly, what animals have taken the portable vacuum for a ride.
Fun and games aside, it’s important to note that Roomba is an impressive showcase of robotic technology, and has played an important role in the public’s understanding of robotics.
iRobot’s machines extend further than housekeeping, though. They also have an extensive line of military and policing robots. The PackBot is a stair-climbing, terrain-navigating tactical mobile robot that can be deployed for HazMat detection, explosive detection and disposal, surveillance and reconnaissance, and emergency first response. Similarly, the SUGV (Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle) surveillance and reconnaissance, and ordnance disposal, but is unique in that it offers checkpoint, vehicle, and personnel inspections. The 710 Warrior is the real muscle of the military line as it can carry payloads of up to 150lbs, can build and clear routes, and like the others, is a leader in ordnance disposal.
Even with these products, its the Roomba that gets all of the attention. From attaching iPads to them, to turning them into mobile Google+ devices, to seeing them on popular television shows, it’s the Roomba that acts as iRobot’s timeless and almost iconic product.
Keep checking back with BostInno for the latest from iRobot and in the mean time, enjoy Roomba’s 10 year birthday infographic.
Image via Mashable.com
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