Neato XV-11 ships out next month, will assassinate dust bunnies for money

By Vlad Savov

posted June 29th 2010 4:34AM

Let's face it, a geek's solution to keeping floors clean will typically involve either family members, robots, or a combination of both. For the latter two groups, we've got news that Neato's XV-11 is all set to start shipping this week, with retail and expanded online availability by mid-July. The XV-11's biggest selling point is a laser-based room mapping system that will theoretically allow it to avoid objects other robo vacuums would detect only by impact. That should also deliver more efficient route planning for the little sucker, while the saved up energy will be channeled into what Neato claims is "the world's most powerful robotic vacuum system." Whether such brazen claims are enough to merit your $399, we leave up to you. Sure looks like a mean machine, though.

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NEATO ROBOTICS SHIPS SMART, POWERFUL ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER TO KEEP ALL TYPES OF FLOORS METICULOUSLY NEAT

The Neato XV-11's Room Positioning System™ Technology and powerful vacuum system makes people's lives easier by making cleaning easy, thorough and convenient

Mountain View, Calif., June 28, 2010 – Neato Robotics™, a Silicon Valley startup pioneering new products to free people from household chores, today announced it will begin shipping its first Neato XV-11™ home robot vacuum cleaners to consumers beginning this week. Based on advanced technologies, Neato Robotics engineers have created a simply smarter robot that thoroughly cleans an area without you needing to be home. Customers who pre-order the highly-anticipated Neato XV-11 at neatorobotics.com will begin receiving them in early July, and additional units will be available for purchase via retail and online partners beginning in mid-July.

The Neato XV-11 all-floor vacuum system is designed to meticulously clean floors on a daily basis; ensuring owners enjoy neater, healthier homes and more free time for themselves. Using its laser-based Room Positioning System (RPS) Technology, the new robot vacuum cleaner has a 360-degree view of a room, allowing it to map the most efficient cleaning path by analyzing walls, furniture, doorways and other obstacles up to four meters away. It avoids most obstacles that other robots can only detect by impact. Once it outlines the designated area, the Neato XV-11 covers the perimeter first and then methodically cleans inside it using a back-and-forth pattern to ensure complete floor coverage.

The energy savings it conserves from its cleaning efficiency has been redirected to the world's most powerful robotic vacuum system. At the vacuum's core is a centrifugal compression impeller that follows jet engine airflow principles. It creates sustained high-powered suction, allowing the Neato XV-11 to thoroughly pick up dirt and debris with unprecedented cleaning performance. 1

"The Neato XV-11 is a true vacuum that's designed to provide complete floor coverage so your high standards are not compromised," says Max Safai, chief executive officer of Neato Robotics. "In fact, over time and with consistent use, the Neato XV-11 is even more thorough than humans."

Some of the other innovative features and benefits of the Neato XV-11 all-floor vacuum cleaner include:

· Scuff-free navigation: The robot's RPS technology constantly updates its internal map so it can accurately detect objects greater than four inches in height and carefully clean around them without damaging furniture and walls.

· Low- profile access: The robot vacuum cleaner's low profile (less than four inches high) allows it to clean under beds, sofas, and toe-kicks in the kitchen.

* Smart design and large dirt bin: The Neato XV-11's D-shape allows it to better clean the corners of a room compared to other circular-shaped robots. This industrial design also allows for a larger dirt bin (660cc or .69 quarts)

· Self-docking to re-power: After completing its cleaning, it returns automatically to its base to re-charge itself. By utilizing the charging base, the robot is charged and ready to go when it's needed most.

· Cleaning scheduler: With its easy-to-use interface, consumers can schedule the robot to clean every day, resulting in a more spotless home.

Pricing and Availability

The suggested manufacturer's retail price is $399. The Neato XV-11 includes a 30-day money back guarantee and a one-year limited hardware warranty. 2 In addition to ordering on the Neato Robotics website, the Neato XV-11 will be available for pre-order via retail and online channel partners such as Amazon.com, Hammacher Schlemmer, SharperImage.com and Robotshop.com on July 15 with shipments of new customer orders beginning in August 2010. Additional channel partners will be announced soon.

About Neato Robotics

Based in Silicon Valley, Neato Robotics, Inc. is a venture-funded start-up that was founded on the idea that it's possible to create robots that are smart enough to perform household chores as intelligently and efficiently as a human. Neato Robotics is dedicated to improving consumers' lives, allowing them to spend less time cleaning and more time with their families and friends. The team of Neato engineers has squeezed innovation from commodity computing products – creating a smarter, more powerful robot vacuum cleaner than any previously seen on the market.