iRobot awarded $286 million military contract

In a shocking tale of totally expected events, iRobot has been awarded a tidy $286 million army contract to produce a merciless, bone-crushing battalion of 3,000 peaceful, loving, bomb-disarming robots (and their spare parts). This comes hot on the heels of Robotic FX getting its walking papers (as well as a canceled contract) on the same military work, so we can't exactly say we're surprised. Just another chapter in the ever-unfolding legal and philosophical drama that is the iRobot / Robotic FX story. iRobot -- this round is all yours.

[heytherekiller Posted Dec 18th 2007 9:52AM]

I for one welcome our adorable deathmachine overlords

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 10:02AM]

"ooops, did I say overlord ... I mean our protectors."

[flashpoint Posted Dec 18th 2007 10:00AM]

Someday they'll have thoughts...

Someday they'll have dreams...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 10:10AM]

And someday they'll play doom..

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 4:05PM]

There is a advertisement on top of this page featuring Will Smith. Will Smith also starred in the popular movie "I, Robot". iRobot was just awarded the 286million contract. therefore doom.

[flashpoint Posted Dec 18th 2007 10:25AM]

No...they will BE OUR DOOM.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 10:35AM]

Sweet, this will give them more funds to improve the already awesome Roomba and Scooba.

[Novataglio Posted Dec 18th 2007 10:36AM]

How will they bring about our destruction? Any attempts to blow us up will cause them to feel compelled to disarm it first. At worse they will all sink into an infinite loop of arming and disarming. It will be their self-created Hell.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 8:13PM]

You speak words of infinite wisdom, I for one would love to watch a robot in an arm disarm loop.

[cheinzmann Posted Dec 18th 2007 4:06PM]

Years ago I was in Las Vegas at Comdex (I think) and iRobot was there with their robotic baby doll and a home security robot. This was not in the main convention hall they were down the road with all the companies from Asia and Linux booths. I mentioned to the guy that the only way to make that robot better was to put a shotgun on it. The look of horror that crossed his face made me and my friend Dean laugh for days afterwards. My how things have changed.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 4:39PM]

Well, iRobot was always a military company first, from what I've gathered. They just spun off a civilian enterprise a few years ago. Judging from the sales guy's reaction, they are probably fairly separate and distinct entities, at least internally. And that's probably a pretty good idea in my opinion :)

[cheinzmann Posted Dec 18th 2007 11:14PM]

It was in 2000 and they had 'My Real Baby' and the home security robot. I don't know if they had the military in mind back then but I was right on the money. Should have invested, even though it violates Asimov's rules of robotics.

[stridermt2k Posted Dec 18th 2007 11:56AM]

I'm glad iRobot won.

Those other guys were shady beyond belief!
One story after another about stealing code, designs, all kinds of stuff.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 1:08PM]

but can they do the robot?

[JamesR Posted Dec 18th 2007 1:58PM]

Do not taunt happy-fun Roomba.

[feralchimp Posted Dec 18th 2007 2:47PM]

I hope my friend gets a piece of that sweet, sweet money cake.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2007 3:06PM]

My dog regularly seeks to destroy my Roomba.

[FuturePastNow Posted Dec 18th 2007 3:14PM]

BattleRoomba!