BURLINGTON, Mass., March 28, 2005 – iRobot Corp. today announced that Indrajit Purkayastha has joined the company as senior vice president of research and development for the Consumer Robotics division. Purkayastha will drive new product development and lead the engineering team in transforming innovative concepts into market-ready products. The Consumer Robotics division is responsible for the popular iRobot Roomba® Robotic Floorvac, which has sold more than 1 million units.
During his 27 years at General Electric, Purkayastha helped bring more than 50 new products to market. As head of GE Sensing’s Innovation Group, Purkayastha worked closely with consumers and idea labs worldwide to deliver products tailored to the needs of GE customers. He held increasingly senior level leadership positions at GE, from design engineer to general manager of new markets and technology. Purkayastha also holds eight patents and presented papers at IEEE meetings.
“Indrajit’s accomplishments are emblematic of iRobot’s commitment to remain on the cutting edge of consumer robotics and deliver practical, affordable robots that make our customers’ lives easier,” said Colin Angle, co-founder and chief executive officer. “His expertise in delivering innovative products to market will be instrumental in bringing robots into the mainstream, as the robotic industry continues to evolve over the next few years.”
“Well before my arrival at iRobot, Roomba established the company as a practical innovator and the leader in consumer robotics,” said Purkayastha. “I’m excited by the opportunity to collaborate with the talented engineers and add my R&D and product development experience to the company’s tradition of innovation.”
The iRobot Roomba Robotic Floorvac is the most successful consumer robot in history. Introduced in 2002, the iRobot Roomba’s mix of functionality and intelligent technology allows people to clean their homes more efficiently and thoroughly than ever before. Infrared sensors allow the robot to follow walls and prevent it from falling down stairs, while bump sensors and an intelligent mapping algorithm enable it to avoid obstacles and steer while cleaning a room. The second-generation iRobot Roomba Discovery line adds intelligent cleaning technology, such as Dirt Detect™ that senses particularly dirty areas and directs the robot to devote attention to that area until it is clean. A recharging Home Base™, faster-charging battery, longer run-time, and a remote control add extra convenience to the iRobot Roomba Discovery line.
About iRobot Corp.
iRobot is best known in the military for setting the new standard in mobile, agile robotics for reconnaissance and other tactical applications. iRobot has a long commitment to building robotic products that make living safer and easier for people in many walks of life. Over the past 15 years, iRobot has developed and built innovative products for the military, government security agencies, law enforcement and the consumer marketplace. In 2003, co-founders Helen Greiner and Colin Angle were named Ernst & Young regional Entrepreneurs of the Year for their innovative work in technology. For additional information about iRobot, visit www.irobot.com.
| Contact: | |
| Parna Sarkar iRobot Corp. psarkar@irobot.com (781) 418-3135 |
Rachel Loya A&R Partners for iRobot Corp. rloya@arpartners.com (650) 762-2903 |