iRobot

BRENTWOOD, N.H.--Road Trip 2010 has officially covered enough miles to make it from one coast of America to the other.

Of course, that's not what's really happened. Instead, I've driven 3,000 miles up and down--and up and down, and up and down, following a truly inefficient path--the East Coast in search of great destinations to report on.

And that's what has brought me here, to this town of population 4,200 in the southeastern corner of the Granite State--that quest for great things to write about. It's not that I had … Read more

BEDFORD, Mass.--I have seen the future of military robotics, and it is autonomy.

I've come here to visit the headquarters of iRobot, the company probably best known for its famous Roomba vacuum cleaners. But while it has sold more than 5 million of those cute household devices, it has also developed a reputation as one of the world's leaders in designing battlefield-ready robots capable of things like detecting and extracting explosive devices, search-and-rescue, and much more.

Click here for a full photo gallery on iRoomba, its past and its history.

And though iRobot could probably rest on … Read more

Dirt. Disgusting dirt. The enemy of all that is gleaming, shiny, and gadgety--how we despise it. Thank the stars then that the brave super-scientists at iRobot worked so hard to create the revolutionary Roomba cleaning machine, guaranteed to keep your home sparkling and new, without any input from you. Pretty smart, eh?

So smart, in fact, that electronics mega-giant Samsung is getting in on the act with the Samsung NaviBot (for now, only available in the U.K.). It's a silicon beast of such calculated poise and deadly efficiency it could probably kill a tiger. A robot tiger. We … Read more

Even as BP struggles to stem the gusher of oil coming from the seabed in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists are looking at ways to measure the environmental impact.

Robot company iRobot, best known for its Roomba vacuum cleaner, said on Tuesday that its Seaglider, an unmanned underwater vehicle, is being deployed to gather information on the presence of oil in the Gulf waters.

The Seaglider can go up to 1,000 meters below the surface and operate for up to 10 months, while sending data via satellite several times a day. It's driven through the water by changes … Read more

Believe it or not, my favorite new gadget at home is not the iPad. Sure, Apple's tablet is cool and all, but it hasn't picked up a single Cheerio off the floor. Not one--there's not an app for that!

On the other hand, the iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner I bought works tirelessly, vigorously, and automatically, scuttling around the house, sweeping floors and carpets as it goes, then returning to its dock for recharging. Frankly, it makes my children look like a couple of slackers.

J&R has the Roomba 530 for $269.88 with free shipping, … Read more

Roomba just tried to suck up my sneaker. Fortunately, it didn't get past the laces.

I found it hunched over a threshold with the laces coiled around its brushes, looking like a slightly guilty puppy.

The shoe was easy to dislodge. With the push of a button, Roomba was on its way again, vacuuming my hardwood floors, rugs and tiles.

iRobot marked its 20th anniversary the other day (see our photo gallery of its robots), notching more than 5 million home robots sold, and I celebrated by sicking one of the latest, the 562 Pet Series, on the dust … Read more

Sneaky intelligent machines have convinced their future human servants to put on the first National Robotics Week, announcing to the masses that robots can "make life easier."

April 10-18, 2010 may go down in history as the week when Americans officially embraced robotic beings as their new best friends. Just look at what happened with Jell-O. In 2001, the Utah legislature declared a Jell-O Week, and now Jello-O is everywhere--in our fridges, in our thoughts, and in our stomachs.

But make no mistake, robots are far more nefarious than gelatin dessert. Companies such as iRobot and Adept Technology, … Read more

Evolution Robotics is introducing an automatic floor cleaner for hard surfaces that can get those tricky spots like corners, edges, and places under furniture.

The Mint robot mop and duster being introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show uses disposable or reusable cleaning cloths to get the job done. You put a Swiffer or Pledge cloth on the bottom, push a button, and off it goes.

The dry cloths trap dirt and dust. When set to mop mode and given a wet cloth, Mint does a back-and-forth movement to scrub floors.

The sexy, compact machine uses Evolution Robotics' NorthStar navigation technology. … Read more

Advanced gamer hardware may soon allow PacBot operators to tell exactly how hard a robot's grip is, allowing soldiers to more safely pick up and handle fragile or dangerous objects, while also increasing their situational awareness.

Novint Technologies, a company that makes 3D touch controllers for video and computer games, announced last month that it has been awarded a subcontract to co-develop a remote touch kit (RTK) for the iRobot unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) PacBot.

The new RTK will allow soldiers to tactually sense the amount of force a robot is exerting from a safe operating distance--a first for … Read more