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CyPhy Works reveals tethered flying bots that can spy on you indefinitely (video)
A new venture from an iRobot co-founder called CyPhy Works has borne fruit in the form of two flying drones dedicated to surveillance duty. The first, called Ease, is a mere foot in diameter by 16-inches tall and can fly safely in tight spaces or through open windows or doors, thanks to its petite size and ducted rotors. It packs a pair of HD cameras along with a thermal imager and can stay aloft permanently, in theory, thanks to a microfilament tether attached to a ground station -- which also makes it impervious to weather, tracking and interception at the same time, according to CyPhy. The second drone, an insect-like quadrotor called Parc, is designed for higher flying missions thanks to its larger size and maximum 1,000-foot altitude. It also uses a tether and can stay aloft for 12-hours on a single ground-station battery, letting it spy from afar with on-board HD, night-vision and thermal cameras. The company's yet to take any orders, but thanks to investors and government grants, the snoopy little bots could be getting up into your business one day soon -- as creepily shown in the video after the break.
iRobot's RP-VITA mobile telepresence robot iPad app eyes-on (video)
It's a mouthful, we know, but the gist of the below video is this: a few months back, iRobot unveiled RP-VITA, a teleconferencing robot with a rolling base. The company's got all sorts of plans for the 'bot, but is starting things off with medical applications. It's co-branded the device with InTouch Health, positioning it as a method for allowing doctors to tend to patients remotely. An iRobot employee took RP-VITA for a spin around InTouch's Southern California mock hospital location, courtesy of an iPad at the robotics company's Bedford, MA location. The interface appears to be quite user-friendly -- just touch a location and RP-VITA starts driving, using its sensors to avoid obstacles along the way as a video feed show you where you're going. Once you reach a patient, you can tap on their image to interact with them (in the case of the dummies in the demo, however, that was easier said than done, of course). Along the bottom, the app offers the doctor large, easy-to-read vitals. Check out a full video of the demo after the break.
iRobot's DARPA-funded mechanical hand can take a beating, lift 50 pounds
Most companies might think twice about inflicting blunt force trauma upon their carefully crafted prototypes, but most companies just don't love baseball the way iRobot does. While developing a mechanical hand for DARPA's Autonomous Robotic Manipulation program, iRobot took a metal baseball bat to its three-fingered prototype. No need to cringe, though -- the artificial appendage came away virtually unscathed. The hand's durability comes from its flexible feelers, fingers molded from soft polymers with embedded tactile sensors. Rather than bending at metallic joints, these digits are pulled tight by inexpensive cables made from fishing line -- not only can they take a beating, but should one snap, they're easy to replace. The soft fingers can pick up small objects, such as keys or credit cards and can hold about 50 pounds before slipping up. The hand's current iteration is in use on a DARPA test robot, but you can see the prototype take its licks in the video after the break.
Must See HDTV (October 22nd - 28th)
While baseball's postseason moves on to its final round, football is just hitting its stride and NBA preseason action is just beginning to get interesting. This week Blade Runner gets yet another HD home release, there's one more presidential debate, and on Friday the maker of Pushing Daisies returns for a one-off / backdoor pilot attempt called Mockingbird Lane -- check out a teaser after the break. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames. I, Robot (3D) A 3D Blu-ray release isn't uncommon these days, however I, Robot has a fresh twist: it wasn't in 3D in theaters, ever. Fox has made the interesting decision of converting the flick in post and releasing a 3D version exclusively for the home. Fans of the 2004 Will Smith flick can snag a $24.99 Blu-ray 3D set, but if you pre-ordered at Comic-Con, it comes with a bust of the robot character, Sonny. We'll have to wait and see if this trend takes off (Fox says it has more titles in the pipeline), or if people prefer the standard original releases. ($24.99 on Amazon) Forza Horizon The Forza series has brought its brand of sim racing to Xbox consoles for several generations, but this latest version takes all of its underlying technology on a trip to the arcade side of town. You won't be doing so much tweaking under the hood this time, but there's still a healthy selection of cars plus options for night and off road racing to keep you interested. Joystiq was impressed enough by its "massive toy chest of hyper-accurate Hot Wheels" to give it four out of five stars, racing fans can check out a demo on Xbox Live now. ($59.99 on Amazon) World Series Baseball fans, it all comes down to this. For the championship in 2012 the Detroit Tigers will face TBD in an epic battle that kicks off Wednesday night. Either St. Louis or San Francisco will be representing the National League in the World Series, but we'll have to wait until tonight's game to know which one. The days for the games are already locked in however, so clear your schedule as needed.
iRobot buys rival Evolution Robotics for $74 million to expand hard-floor cleaning tech
iRobot celebrated Roomba's 10th birthday quietly teeing up a $74 million acquisition of rival Evolution Robotics Inc. The Pasadena-based company produces the Mint, a hard-floor 'bot that uses ordinary Swiffer pads to wet-wipe your wooden decks clean -- and comes with the more sophisticated "Northstar" GPS-style positioning tech. As part of the deal, Evolution CEO Paolo Pirjanian will become iRobot's new CTO and the Mint and Mint Plus will be folded into the company's stable of Roomba cleaners -- with the deal expected to be fully approved by the fourth quarter of the year.
Happy 10th Birthday, Roomba! (video)
It's been a full decade since the first Roomba scuttled off the assembly line and onto the floors of slatternly geeks. Understandably, iRobot's looking back over the period, revealing that since then, it's sold over six million of the units -- with each one covering an average of 705 miles in its lifetime. Along the way, that army of Wall-Es-in-the-making have consumed around two million pounds of dirt, including the odd Lego brick, pet snake and wedding bands -- although, as the videos below demonstrate, it's normally quite friendly to children and animals.
Ask Engadget: best robot cleaner for stone tile floors?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Anthony, who needs some robotic help keeping his stone floors clean. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "We have stone tile floors in the kitchen and two kids. What wet floor cleaning robot would help us keep the floor clean, navigate the kitchen and handle the uneven stone floor tiles and grooves?" We love original and different questions like this, the more original and different the better, so let's help this gentleman out. It's the old story of the high-tech being flustered by the stone age, but what's the solution? Is it the iRobot Scooba, with its squeegee apparatus tucked underneath, or something else? Why not share your considerable experiences in the comments below.
iRobot's AIRarm prototype bot has an inflatable arm for manipulating objects, was built at DARPA's behest
iRobot may be best known for its household automatons, but the company's expertise goes far beyond circular bots built for sweeping and scrubbing floors. Its Warrior and 110 FirstLook bots are built for the military, and now the Advanced Inflatable Robot (AIR) arm model is joining its armed forces brethren. The AIRarm prototype is essentially a Packbot whose metal arm's been replaced with an inflatable version able to lift four times its own half-pound weight. That might not seem like much, but considering most rigid robot arms can only lift a fraction of their own weight, it represents a sizable gain in strength-to-weight ratio. Plus, the arm can get stronger by simply dialing up the air pressure. As an inflatable limb, it can also operate delicately around meatbags -- just as the air pressure is increased for strength, it can be decreased when in close proximity to people so as not to injure them. For its prototype effort, iRobot's going to get a $625,000 contract from DARPA to continue the AIRarm's development, and you can see a bit of what that money will buy in the video after the break.
iRobot trots out Looj 330 gutter-cleaning robot, three entry-level Roombas (video)
With Roomba being the household name that it is, it can be easy to forget that iRobot also makes robots of the outdoor persuasion. In fact, though, the company's been selling its Looj gutter-cleaning bots for five years now, occasionally treating us to demos involving leaves, dirt and fake roofs. Today the company announced the third-generation model, the Looj 330, which has been completely re-tooled to add a four-stage auger, multiple speed settings, an automated "Clean" mode and a lithium-ion battery. It's also a bit more compact this time around, increasing the likelihood it'll fit your gutter. Meanwhile, for those of you who can't bring yourselves to spend $700 on a robotic vacuum cleaner, iRobot is adding some entry-level models to its Roomba lineup: the 620, 630 and 650. Though these cost about half the price of the flagship offerings, they actually feature many of the same technologies, including iAdapt, the sensor arrangement that allows Roomba to crisscross the floor like it does. Here, though, the cosmetic design is different, and you also won't find bells and whistles like capacitive touchscreens or fine Hepa filters. What's more, these guys only use acoustic sensors to detect debris, whereas the pricier models add optical sensors to pick up on lighter particles, like fuzz. All of these products are available now, with the Looj 330 going for $299 and the Roomba 600 series starting at $330. Not in the market for a cleaning bot? You can at least get a vicarious thrill out of our Luge hands-on video, embedded after the break for your viewing pleasure. And yes, those are Goldfish and m&m's flying out of that gutter. It rains snack food here in New York City.%Gallery-162090%%Gallery-162091%%Gallery-162088%
iRobot, InTouch Health unveil RP-VITA telepresence robot, let doctors phone in bedside manner
In case you missed the memo, there's quite a bit more to iRobot than adorable autonomous vacuums -- these days the firm works on military projects, consumer electronics and tablet-controlled telepresence robots. Earlier this year, iRobot even retooled itself to build an emerging technologies group, announcing a partnership with InTouch Health to put its AVA telepresence technology to better use. Today the two companies are announcing the fruits of their labor -- the Remote Presence Virtual + Independent Telemedicine Assistant, or RP-VITA. The project aims to combine the best of iRobot's AVA telepresence units with InTouch health's own bots, creating an easy to use system that allows physicians to care for patients remotely without stumbling over complicated technology. The RP-VITA features state-of-the-art mapping and obstacle detection and avoidance technology, a simple iPad user interface for control and interaction and the ability to interface with diagnostic devices and access electronic medical records. The remote rig will eventually be able to navigate to specified target destinations autonomously, though this feature is still being reviewed by the FDA for clearance. iRobot and InTouch are optimistic about the unit, but claim that the RP-VITA is only the beginning. "While this represents our first foray into the healthcare market, the RP-VITA represents a robust platform," said Colin Angle, Chairman and CEO of iRobot, "we see many future opportunities in adjacent markets." The new telemedicine assistant is slated to make its first appearance at InTouch Health's 7th Annual Clinic Innovations Forum later this week. Check out the press release after the break for the full details.
Visualized: a look inside iRobot's gadget-filled 'cool stuff room' (video)
We've all seen a Roomba at one point or another, be it picking up debris around our feet in a friend's living room or chauffeuring a courageous kitty for an entertaining clip on YouTube. Likely far less familiar, however, is iRobot's gadget-filled Massachusetts headquarters, including the museum-like "cool stuff room" in the lobby. There you'll find a large variety of autonomous devices, ranging from an early Roomba prototype that subs in a removable cloth for the vacuum to the relatively creepy My Real Baby -- an $89 doll that cries for food and offers realistic reactions to tickling. There's also plenty of industrial and military gear on hand, including a long cylindrical bot used for repairing oil rigs as they continue to operate, a full-size self-driving vehicle and a wall-climbing robot that uses suction cup wheels to ascend vertically. Some of the exhibits are downright creepy, such as a crab-like prototype which an iRobot employee referenced as being "inspired by nature," though the company's familiar household gadgets help to balance out the eerie. Sadly, the collection doesn't appear to be open to the public, though IEEE was granted a tour, which it graciously filmed for your enjoyment -- you'll find that video walkthrough just past the break.
iRobot Roomba 790 with Wireless Command Center hands-on (video)
What to get the homeowner who has everything? Perhaps a robotic vacuum styled in the fashion of an RC toy will fit the bill. Here at a gdgt event in New York City we happened upon iRobot's Roomba 790, which comes with a touchscreen remote for manually controlling where the bot goes. The controller -- make that the "Wireless Command Center" -- has an interface matching the one on the 790 itself, so there's no second set of menus to master here. In addition to deciding where it moves, you can also schedule daily cleanings or tap a "Clean" button to push the robot into action.Though this isn't the first time iRobot's dabbled in remote-controlled vacuum cleaners, previous models tended to rely on infrared sensors, meaning you could only control the Roomba if it was in your line of sight. This guy, though, uses a proprietary technology that allows you to program that 4pm scrubbing from up to 25 meters away. As for battery life, it runs on four AA cells, and is rated for three to six months of runtime, depending on how compulsively you plan on cleaning. Interestingly, despite the change in wireless standards, the 790 is compatible with older 700-series Roombas, though it's not as is the controller would be sold separately. If you happen to be the kind of fabulously wealthy family who can afford (and has a need) for multiple Roomba cleaners, you can only pair the remote with one robot at a time anyway. Don't have the budget for a $700 robotic vacuum kit? We've got hands-on photos below and a demo video after the break. %Gallery-159094%
Roomba 790's Wireless Command Center lets you obliterate dirt from afar
iRobot is calling the latest Roomba its "most advanced robot yet," thanks to a number of new features to the 700 series that extend beyond the 790's redesigned faceplate. Chief amongst them is the Wireless Command Center, an oblong remote control useable from anywhere in the home that lets users steer the Roomba, send it back to its base, schedule a cleaning and adjust its clock. There's also a big "Clean" button, whose functionality seems fairly straight forward. Also on board with the 790 is room-to-room navigation, which utilizes "Virtual Wall Lighthouses." Roomba describes the feature thusly, [A]djust to Lighthouse, set the distance of the door opening and place the Virtual Wall Lighthouse outside of the doorway to the room you want Roomba to clean. The Lighthouse will communicate with Roomba via an infrared sensor to contain it in one room until it vacuums the area completely (aka: completes its mission) and then it will move on to the next room and so forth. The latest version of the cleaning machine is available today, for a suggested $700. Check out a peak of the aforementioned Command Center after the break.
US Navy LASR research facility builds robots, not ray guns
The US Navy announced a new robotics research facility this week located within the existing Naval Research Laboratory's main site in Washington D.C. The Laboratory for Autonomous Systems Research, or LASR, was created to support NRL research in "robotics and autonomous systems of interest to the Navy, the Marine Corps and the Department of Defense," wrote LASR director Alan C. Shultz, mentioning that a familiar sounding autonomous firefighting robot would be among the lab's projects. The new facility is kitted out with a litany of realistic environmental simulation bays, allowing NRL scientists to pit their research against the elements with ease. Researchers will also have access to machine shops stocked with 3D printers and other goodies, a power and energy lab, a sensor lab and what Shultz calls the "world's largest space for real-time motion capture." Sounds great, at least as long as the research projects never get ahold of a certain Navy-funded AI report. Check out Shultz' official statement at the White House blog link below.
iRobot Scooba 390 hands-on -- now with 30 degrees more circle (video)
Last week's trip to iRobot's headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts wasn't just about tossing battlefield 'bots about. We also had the opportunity to check out some of the company's more domestic offerings. The Scooba 390 is the latest addition to the iRobot's line of floor cleaners. The mopping 'bot offers a couple of enhancements to its older sibling -- rather than considering it a full refresh, the company's referring to it as an "update to respond to customer feedback." The biggest difference here is improved battery life -- a welcome change in any device. According to iRobot, the 390 should provide users with around 30 percent more battery life than its predecessor, covering up to 450 square feet per cleaning session.
iRobot and Texas Instruments announce plans for a future full of OMAP-packing 'bots
iRobot, the Massachusetts-based maker of consumer and battlefield 'bots, announced a team up with TI this week. The partnership, sadly, doesn't mean we'll be seeing an army of autotuned DJ Roombas -- we will, however, likely be getting a slew of "intelligent and practical" robots packing Texas Instruments' multi-core OMAP technology. Remember those words the next time you hurl one through a window or get it to mop up the tiles around your toilet. No word on the nature of the products that will arise from such a deal, but they'll likely continue to do our bidding for a little while longer at least. Check out a minimalistic press release after the break.
iRobot 110 FirstLook hands-on (video)
iRobot's Bedford, Massachusetts headquarters is literally crawling (well, rolling) with robots of all shapes and sizes, from friendlier household fare like Scoobas and Roombas, to the 450-pound Warrior battlefield 'bot, which patrols the perimeter, looking for mock IEDs. The highlight of our trip this week, however, had to be the time we spent with 110 FirstLook. Sure, durability is job number one, when you're building products for the military, but the plucky little robot takes things to a whole new level. At five pounds, you can pick the thing up and toss it -- in fact, the company encourages such action. The FirstLook was built to be thrown into dangerous areas, and it's rugged enough to smash through plate glass windows to get there. The 'bot has a patch of skateboard-like grip tape on its top, opposite the bendable antenna, so you can easily grab it with a single hand. You toss the FirstLook side arm, like a frisbee, and no matter what side it lands on, the rubber treads will cushion the blow a bit. If it happens to hit the ground upside down (with the antenna on the bottom), the triangle wings on either side can be slowly extended in either direction to right the robot. Same goes for when it bounces down a flight of stairs, unharmed.
iRobot's 'throwable' 110 FirstLook bot gets drafted into the military (video)
There's something pretty damn appealing about a controllable robot that can be hurled through a window and live to tell the tale. It looks like the military brass agree; The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) has ordered over 100 of iRobot's 110 FirstLook scouting units. Unsurprisingly, these robots are tougher than your garden variety RC vehicle. Aside from managing our desperate throws, these can survive 15-foot drops, self-right, relay radio communication over a digital mesh network and feed back video from its four built-in cameras. After a year of internal testing, the bots will get their first on-the-job trial in an "operational assessment" later this spring. Check out the (military) man-toy in action right after the break.
iRobot reorganizes, forms new unit focused on Ava and other emerging technologies
iRobot has been branching out from its traditional household and military robots for quite a while, and it looks like it's now officially embracing those activities as a core part of its business. The company announced a reorganization (or "strategic realignment") today that will see it comprised of three different business units: Home Robots, Military Robots and Emerging Technologies. That last group includes things like the Ava mobile robotics platform, which iRobot hopes will eventually be used in everything from healthcare to retail to security applications. Alongside that news, the company also announced a bit of an exec shakeup, with Home Robots President Jeffrey Beck being named Chief Operating Officer, and former COO Joseph Dyer switching roles to become Chief Strategy Officer. The company's official announcement can be found after the break.
Fukushima technician gives behind-the-scenes look at the cleanup operation
New details about the robotics deployed to help clean up Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant have emerged, thanks to a series of blog posts penned by an anonymous technician. Known only as 'S.H.', the blogger wrote of the effectiveness of the donated iRobot Packbots and Warriors (despite their prolonged exposure to electronics-damaging radiation), while criticizing the Tokyo Electric Power Company for what he saw as inept supervision, unreasonable schedules and disregard for technician safety. S.H., who helped retrofit a vacuum cleaner onto a robot to collect radioactive dust, also revealed technical details about the robots, explaining that they were manipulated with a PlayStation-style controller via a Panasonic Toughbook and that the devices were most effective in pairs, which allowed for better wireless connectivity and faster emergency response. The site was taken down after it began circulating on Twitter but IEEE kept and translated the posts, available for your perusal at the source link, below.
