Sales of iRobot home robots surpass five million units; Innovative features and proven reliability continue to make Roomba the industry leader in robotic floor cleanersBEDFORD, Mass., Jan 05, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT) today announced that it has achieved an
industry milestone in the home robot market. The company, which was
founded twenty years ago, launched its iRobot Roomba(R) Vacuum Cleaning
Robot in 2002. Since then, iRobot has sold more than five million home
robots, making its products among the best-selling consumer robots in
history.
"This achievement represents a huge milestone for iRobot and for the
robotics industry as a whole," said Colin Angle, chairman and chief
executive officer of iRobot. "We set out to create practical robots that
help people accomplish tasks they don't like to do, and in many cases,
don't have time to do. With over five million home robots sold, we have
seen a widespread acceptance of this technology.This
further fuels our drive to innovate and provide solutions that make a
difference in people's lives."
The award-winning iRobot Roomba has established itself as a proven tool
in maintaining a clean home and leads the charge as the first truly
practical and affordable home robot. Over the course of many years, the
company has developed advanced robotic technologies that have put Roomba
at the top of the growing home robot market.
-
Roomba makes multiple passes over the same area, much like one would
do while using a standard vacuum cleaner, ensuring complete coverage
as it lifts an amazing amount of debris from carpets and hard floors.
-
Roomba identifies furniture and other obstacles, slows its approach
and then lightly and gently touches the obstacle with its bumper
before changing direction. This allows Roomba to clean right up to and
along an obstacle.
-
Roomba's navigation system, light-touch bumper and low-profile allow
it to continue past bed skirts and under couches with soft skirts,
cleaning hard to reach places that are often ignored.
-
Roomba detects dirtier areas and responds by increasing vacuuming
intensity and cleaning pattern to ensure deeper, concentrated cleaning
in that area.
-
Roomba automatically adjusts from hard floors to carpet and avoids
stairs and drop-offs.
-
Specially-designed technology and suspension allow Roomba to maneuver
over cords and effectively extract itself from rug fringe and tassels.
-
With its spinning side brush, Roomba is adept at cleaning corners and
along edges.
-
Roomba's round shape prevents it from getting stuck in corners or
between other obstacles commonly found in people's homes.
-
Roomba can be set to clean on a schedule and will automatically return
to its Home Base when finished cleaning or when its battery is running
low.
-
There are several Roomba models to choose from. Pricing for the Roomba
400 Series begins at $129.99. The Roomba 500 Series, incorporating
iRobot's most advanced coverage and cleaning technology, begins at
$279.99.
iRobot's consumer robots have revolutionized the way people clean - both
inside and outside the home. iRobot's acclaimed line of home robots also
includes:
-
iRobot Scooba(R) Floor Washing Robot
-
iRobot Dirt Dog(R) Shop Sweeping Robot
-
iRobot Looj(R) Gutter Cleaning Robot
-
iRobot Verro(R) Pool Cleaning Robot
About iRobot Corp.
iRobot designs and builds robots that make a difference. The company's
home robots help people find smarter ways to clean, and its government
and industrial robots help protect those in harm's way. iRobot's
consumer and military robots feature iRobot AWARE(R) robot
intelligence systems, proprietary technology incorporating advanced
concepts in navigation, mobility, manipulation and artificial
intelligence. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.

SOURCE: iRobot Corp.
iRobot Corp.
Investor Relations:
Elise Caffrey, 781-430-3003
ecaffrey@irobot.com
or
Media Relations:
Nancy Smith, 781-430-3323
nsmith@irobot.com