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iRobot hasn't given up on developing Roomba's lawn mowing sibling
You know how long it's been since we first heard that iRobot's making a robotic lawn mower? Nine years. After almost a decade of wondering if we'll ever see Roomba's more outdoorsy sibling, iRobot's finally giving us a glimpse of how the device will work through an FCC filing. Other robot lawn mowers require you to prep your lawn by burying wires around the perimeter -- the machines will recognize those wires and won't venture beyond them. iRobot, however, plans to use a wireless beacon system that entails burying four to nine beacons to mark the edges of your lawn. Those beacons will calculate the robots' position within the property and transmit it to the machine.
iRobot's CTO wants bots that will map and interact with your home, not drones
The future for Roomba maker iRobot isn't in the sky; it's continuing to innovate on the ground. In a chat with iRobot CTO Paolo Pirjanian at the Engadget CES stage today, he dove into his vision for where the company is headed. And, surprisingly enough, drones aren't part of the picture -- even though they're all the rage now. Instead, Pirjanian says he's looking forward to building smarter and taller robots that will be able understand and interact with their environment. The keys to that dream are indoor GPS and 3D mapping, both of which, he says, iRobot is "keenly working on." Those futuristic home bots will be able to do things like collect and bring a tray of food to the elderly, or create an accurate map of everything in your home, so it'll know if you left your keys on the kitchen table.
iRobot's newest machine is made for student hackers
Many educational robots tend to be complex and expensive, or simple and cheap. Where's the middle ground for students who want to build sophisticated things, but don't want to pay a fortune just to get started? iRobot thinks it can reach that happy balance with its new Create 2 robot. It's effectively a Roomba 600 series vacuum turned into a hacker's paradise. Instead of the usual cleaning equipment, you'll find easily accessible, clearly marked spaces that practically beg for add-on hardware (like cameras and arms) and cosmetic modifications. It's the foundation for a robotics project rather than a fully accessorized (and therefore costly) machine, as CEO Colin Angle tells us. You will get many of the tools you need to get cracking, though, including a programming framework, example instructions and 3D printing files for extra parts. So long as you can write code and plug in through USB, you can turn the robot into a Bluetooth-controlled DJ, a miniature security guard or whatever else your budget and skills allow.
Soldiers will soon steer iRobot's machines with an Android tablet
While iRobot's most famous for creating the Roomba, the robotic vacuum is far from being its only product: the company actually supplies defense, reconnaissance and first response machines to authorities, as well. In an effort to make these robots a lot easier to control in high-stress environments, iRobot has developed the uPoint Multi-Robot Control (MRC) system, which lets human operators navigate their machines using only an Android tablet. At the moment, these robots (all 6,000 of them deployed worldwide) are controlled using an old-school joystick and a separate monitor powered by a Linux-based OS. When uPoint launches, all the soldier/cop handlers need to do is fire up the app and steer their machines by tapping on the screen, effectively nixing the need to train them on the procedure for a few days.
A Robot Swarm descends on NYC's Museum of Math
Roboticist-in-residence James McLurkin offered an advanced preview of his Robot Swarm at NYC's Museum of Mathematics this week. The presentation detailed the background and programming concepts of these sensor- and speaker-laden bots -- which have a habit of spitting out 8-bit-style tunes while they work. The digital creatures exhibit group behaviors much like ants and bees, working together to map out their surroundings and communicate with each other -- and there's a definite hierarchy to their organization. The Robot Swarm exhibit will be open to the public when it's completed later this year and will be displayed beneath a transparent floor so you can watch the action happen from your own god-like perspective. Head on down to the gallery for a closer look at how the Robot Swarm will organize itself when the robopocalypse finally arrives.
Gadget Rewind 2004: iRobot Roomba Discovery
Little robot helpers found a place in our hearts and homes in 2002 when iRobot introduced the Roomba. This house-cleaning 'bot definitely made for an odd addition to the company's existing lineup of space exploration, minesweeping and tactical support devices. But beyond the novelty factor, the first Roomba model wasn't an immediate success for the company. After heading back to the drawing board, iRobot released a vastly improved model in 2004 called the Roomba Discovery. It had enhanced cleaning powers, longer battery life and was significantly smarter. The Discovery may not have been a true replacement to traditional vacuuming, but it definitely justified its cost and earned a solid customer base. It was also affordable, costing only a couple hundred dollars compared to competitor products like the 2004 Electrolux Trilobite, which shot well past the $1,000 mark.
iRobot's Ava 500 telepresence-on-a-stick is rolling out now (update: $69,500!!)
There are plenty of telepresence robots on the market already, but iRobot's new Ava 500 may just be the best option out there. The highlight here is that the device is completely autonomous, just like the company's RP-VITA healthcare bot. Once it maps out your office during an "exploration phase," you can schedule a conference to join via an iRobot app. When your meeting time comes around, you'll be assigned an available Ava, which will wheel itself into position in the conference room, theoretically avoiding obstacles along the way.
IRL: iRobot Roomba 700
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. We're not sure how long it takes for someone to become an honorary Tokyoite, but whatever the answer, it's clear Mat Smith is still fairly green. After two years as an Engadget editor based in London, Mat moved to Japan last summer to run our coverage there. And run it he does. But can he call himself a transplant? Probably not yet. But adopting a robot was a good first step.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: iRobot CEO Colin Angle
Robotic housekeepers? iRobot's got 'em. The CEO of the company behind Roomba, Scooba and a slew of other task-based 'bots is joining us to discuss his vision of the future. January 8, 2014 6:30:00 PM EST
iRobot shows off improved Scooba mop 'bot, still not ready to tackle the Las Vegas Convention Center
Nothing particularly earth-shattering out of iRobot this CES. A couple of months after dropping a souped-up Roomba in our laps, the company's ready to do the same for its floor-mopping Scooba. iRobot's promising "three-times better performance," on the 450, thanks to a 600RPM brush and improved navigation. The company demoed the 'bot for us ahead of CES in a pretty tight space. It's tough to say definitively how well the 450 actually works based on limited time with it (all the more reason to get one for Engadget HQ). But it seemed to do a pretty good job picking up muddy water and spilled Cheerios, combining them into the world's grossest breakfast cocktail in its tank -- which, it turns out, is actually slightly smaller than its predecessor's. The device's Three-Cycle Cleaning Process promises to kill up to 99.3 percent of bacteria (there's always something, right?), sweeping, soaking and then scrubbing your floor. The 'bot's got two cleaning modes: a 40-minute cycle for up to 300 square feet and a 20-minute version for 150 square feet and smaller. That means, interestingly, that no matter how large or small the room is, it'll spend that much time cleaning things. Also, for the first time, the Scooba plays nicely with Roomba's Virtual Walls, so you don't have to run out and pick up a proprietary set, if you've got the vacuuming robot sitting around your house. The new Scooba is available today through iRobot's site for a cool $600. There's also an upright charging station, so you can dry it out while it charges. That's gonna run you $80.
Roomba drops the bristles for 880 model (hands-on)
There is, I'm told, a revolution happening on the floor beneath my feet. I've got to admit, I wasn't anticipating how loud such a thing would be -- though revolutions are rarely quiet, and besides, I never let on that my new apartment is pretty much wall-to-wall hardwood floors. Next time we'll just attach a speaker to the thing to make the most out of the noise. The aforementioned "revolution" that iRobot references in its press materials is the abandonment of bristle brushes, those mainstays of robotic and non-robotic vacuums alike. In their place is the AeroForce system (one word in the press materials and two, strangely, on the device itself, a fault we're told of our device's early demo status), featuring Extractors, two rubbery rollers covered with a series of dashes. The idea here a pretty simple -- the solid masses don't get tangled nearly as easily as the old bristle brush system. Behind this is amplified suction, which, well, promises to suck more than on past models. The Extractors themselves have a fair amount of give to allow objects past. The Roomba picked up a stray penny or too, no problem. As promised, the rollers didn't get too tangled with hair. After a quick trip around my Queens apartment, there was a stray strand wrapped around one, but thankfully it's much more easily removed than with the bristles. And while a scrap of paper managed to work its way around an Extractor, the units can be easily pulled off the Roomba for cleaning and maintenance.
iRobot CEO Colin Angle on the shortcomings of humanoid robots (video)
Nearly everyone who's purchased one the 10 million-plus Roombas sold around the world has inevitably asked the same question: whatever happened to Rosie? For all its charms, iRobot's hockey puck-like floor cleaner will never compare to the Jetsons' sass-talking maid. We're living in an age of robots and we don't even know it. They're everywhere we look, but it's hard to recognize them after countless science fiction books and movies have hammered home the image of electronic mirrors of ourselves. In order to embrace a robotic future, however, many have scrapped the traditional notion of the android. "Building robot versions of people is very expensive," explains iRobot co-founder and CEO Colin Angle. "The thing that iRobot had to do to become a legitimate business [was] take a great step away from the traditional notion of what a robot should be. Why should it be to vacuum that I need to build an upright person and give them a vacuum? Why not build the vacuum that can guide itself around, that can go under couches? You can make it radically less expensive." Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
iRobot gives Mint mopping 'bot a new lease on life as the Braava
Wondering what would become of the plucky Mint 'bot after iRobot swept up its creator, Evolution Robotics? The company clearly thought it was time for a name change -- it's the iRobot Braava from here on out. The cleaner has inherited its older sibling's good looks, from the square build to the little diamond up top. Like the Mint, the Braava line pushes a cloth around your floor to pick up dirt instead of relying upon suction. It's got two modes: dry or damp, and in both cases is designed for a light cleaning in one go, rather than the Roomba or Scooba's multi-pass technique. There are two models, the 320 and the higher end 380t, which features some nice amenities like a faster charging battery and liquid dispensing. The Braavas are available now, starting at $199 at the source link below.
iRobot teams up with Cisco for Ava 500 telepresence robot
We fully expected to see iRobot offer up further applications for its Ava development platform after *ahem* rolling out the RP-VITA, a medically-themed team up with In-Touch Health. The company's second partner is a biggie: it'll be working with Cisco on the Ava 500 telepresence bot. The system looks quite similar to the VITA, sporting what appears to be a nearly identical base. As with its predecessor, Ava's controlled by a fairly simple iPad program -- you can either pick a destination on a map or choose from a list of employee names and rooms you'd like to visit. Once inputted, the robot is autonomous in navigation, getting to the destination, while avoiding people and obstacles. When the meeting's over, it'll return to its base for charging. On the top, however, you'll find Cisco's TelePresence EX60 end-point, bringing the company's widely adopted platform to the mobile base, courtesy of a 21.5-inch HD display. The user's face will show up on the screen as the 'bot navigates through the halls, allowing you to talk about last night's Mad Men, should you (figuratively) run into anyone around the water cooler. You can also switch to private mode, if telepresence small talk isn't your thing. iRobot and Cisco will be showing off Ava at Infocomm later this month. If you can't wait for that, however, you'll find out a bit more in the press release after the break.
RP-VITA bringing its telepresence to seven North American hospitals
We've already seen the RP-VITA in action -- and so, for that matter, has the FDA. Now iRobot / InTouch Health's telepresence 'bot is ready to take the field. The companies today jointly unveiled a list of seven US and Mexican hospitals that will be using the iPad-friendly wheeled robot. The list includes a handful of locations that helped demo RP-VITA ahead of its official release. Check in after the break for all the locations, which include half a dozen in the US and one in Mexico.
DARPA's low-cost robotic hand gets put through its paces (video)
This three-fingered manipulator has just about everything you could ever want in a robotic hand. It's relatively low-cost, it's powerful, it's capable of picking up objects both large and small, and it's robust. In fact, we've already seen the thing used as a tee for an aluminum bat. The hand, which was developed by researchers at iRobot, Harvard and Yale, was created as part of DARPA's ARM Hardware (ARM-H), a program track focused on the creation of inexpensive, dexterous hands. According to its creators, the key here is "function rather than trying to mimic a human hand," which helped bring down the cost of building the three-fingered grasper. Check out a video of the Ninja Turtle-esque gripper getting put through its paces -- and strengthening its core with a 50-pound kettle bell -- after the break.
FDA approves iRobot RP-VITA telepresence robot for use in hospitals
iRobot's robots physicians have been wanting to offer their diagnostic assistance for around six months, but now the RP-VITA, made in partnership with InTouch's AVA telepresence broadcast tech, has been given permission by the FDA to roam a hospital corridor near you. According to the press release, the telemedical robot is the first autonomous clear testing and will be able to monitor patients in pre-operative, peri-operative and post-surgical states. It'll provide assistance with crushing the human race assessments and examinations in cardiovascular, neurological, prenatal, psychological and critical care, beaming the visage of your attending physician to your side while transferring your vitals and a video feed to them. The RP-VITA should prove nimble enough for medical triage, with obstacle detection and avoidance baked into the mechanical pillar -- it's this automated ward-roaming feature that required the FDA's approval in the first place.
iRobot applies for 'all-in-one' 3D printer patent: aims to reduce need for post-processing
It's no floor cleaner, so it looks like iRobot's looking to expand its horizons, filing a patent application for a "robotic fabricator". While not granted (yet), the USPTO filing outlines an all-in-one 3D printer that is capable of post-print milling and processing. Typical 3D printing results in an 'overhang' excess that needs to be clipped from the finished article, but iRobot's loosely worded notion would process these automatically, as well as seams formed where parts are fused together. Multiple manipulators mean that the object can be contorted over "at least six axes", while the toolhead would combine together a print and milling head, alongside an exotically-named robocasting extruder, which is used in building up the layers of material. The design aims to reduce the need for any non-automated manufacturing processes, hopefully meaning effortless turtleshell kart production and reduced printing blemishes -- that is, if it makes it to reality.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with iRobot's Craig Henricksen (update: video embedded)
iRobot had a few surprises up its mechanical sleeves this week, including the Mirra 530 pool cleaning 'bot. We'll be speaking with the company's outdoor product manager, Jeff Karlson about that device and the rest of the company's diverse roster of products. January 11, 2013 4:00 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
iRobot flaunts the Mirra 530 pool cleaning robot, sends the Looj 330 abroad
Geeks may not turn as many heads as the shirtless pool-boy as they waft around the grounds, but, thanks to technology, we're finally able to wreak some revenge. The folks over at iRobot have cooked up the Mirra 530, a pool cleaning 'bot that'll sit above the Verro 500 in its lineup of aquatic sanitizers. It'll much through up to 70 gallons of water a minute and will filter debris as small as two microns. Thanks to its iAdapt Nautiq system, it'll even work out the size of your natatorium to determine which cleaning program is the most efficient. At the same time, the company is packing off the Looj 330 gutter-washer to the rest of the world -- the first time it's retailed an outdoor unit outside of the US. Ending the tyranny of Chet (they're always called Chet, aren't they?) will set you back $1,299.99 or €1,499.99 in Europe and will launch in both sides of the pond in the spring, at the same time the Looj arrives in the old world, costing €299.99. Dana Murph contributed to this report.
