iRobot 2011 Annual Report Download - page 52

Form 10-K
behaviors, sensor fusion, power management and communication. Our AWARE systems allow our Roomba floor
vacuuming robot and our Scooba floor washing robot to clean an entire floor while navigating around obstacles
and not falling down stairs, and also allow our PackBot robots and our other unmanned ground vehicles to
accomplish complex missions such as waypoint navigation and real-time obstacle avoidance.
Real-World, Dynamic Sensing. The degree of intelligence that our robots display is directly attributable to
their ability to perceive — or sense — the world around them. Using specialized hardware and signal processing,
we have developed sensors that fit particular cost-performance criteria. In other cases, we use off-the-shelf
sensing hardware, such as laser scanners, cameras and optical sensors.
User-Friendly Interfaces. Our robots allow users to interact and instruct our robots in intuitive ways
without extensive end-user set-up, installation, training or instruction. For example, our Roomba robots require
only one button to have the robot begin its mission, determine the size of the room to be cleaned, thoroughly
clean the room and return to its re-charger, right out of the box without any pre-programmed knowledge of the
user’s home. Similarly, our PackBot robots use intuitive controllers, interoperable between systems, that
integrate high-level supervisory commands from the user into the behaviors of the robot.
Tightly-Integrated, Electromechanical Design. Our products rely on our ability to build inherently robust
integrated electrical and mechanical components into required form factors. For instance, the computer that
powers the PackBot tactical military robot must withstand being dropped from more than ten feet onto concrete.
Such high performance specifications require tight design integration.
Combining these four components, we have created proprietary, reusable building blocks of robotics
capabilities, including mobility platforms, manipulators, navigation and control algorithms and user interfaces.
Our technology building blocks typically allow us to take a known platform and modify it for a new mission
instead of starting from scratch for each application. We believe this allows us to design and develop innovative
robots cost-effectively.
Products and Development Contracts
We design and market robots for the consumer and government and industrial markets. With two decades of
leadership in the robot industry, we remain committed to establishing robot and software platforms for invention
and discovery, building key partnerships to develop mission-critical payloads and creating robots that improve
the standards of safety and living worldwide.
Consumer Products
We sell various products that are designed for use in and around the home. Our current consumer products
are focused on both indoor and outdoor cleaning applications. We believe our consumer products provide value
to our customers by delivering better cleaning solutions at an affordable price and by freeing people from
repetitive home cleaning tasks.
We currently offer multiple Roomba floor vacuuming robots with varying price points ranging from $349 to
$599 based upon performance characteristics. Our Roomba robot’s compact disc shape allows it to clean under
beds and other furniture, resulting in cleaner floors since the Roomba can access more of the floor than standard
upright vacuum cleaners. In addition, Roomba eliminates the need to push a vacuum — it cleans automatically
upon the push of a button. The Roomba 700 series robots, introduced in 2011, offers improved debris pick up, a
larger debris bin that vigorously pulls debris and hair off brushes into the bin, and dual HEPA air filters that
capture dust particles as fine as 0.3 microns.
We currently offer several Scooba floor washing robots with price points ranging from $279 to $499. Our
Scooba robot’s innovative cleaning process allows the robot to simultaneously sweep, wash, scrub and dry hard
floors, all at the touch of a button. Unlike a conventional mop that spreads dirty water on the floor, Scooba will
apply only fresh water and cleaning solution to the floor from a clean tank. Scooba will clean dirt and grime, is
safe for use on all sealed, hard floor surfaces, including wood and tile, and is smart enough to avoid carpet. The
Scooba 230, introduced in 2011, is sleek, compact and perfectly sized for hard-to-reach areas like behind
bathroom sinks and toilets.
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