iRobot 2012 Annual Report Download - page 55

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and to enhance market access. We outsource certain non-core activities, such as manufacturing and back-office functions,
which helps us focus our resources on our core competencies.
Technology
We are focused on behavior-based, artificially-intelligent systems developed to meet customer requirements in multiple
market segments. In contrast to robotic manufacturing equipment or entertainment systems that are designed to repeat actions
in specific, known environments, our systems are designed to complete missions in complex and dynamic real-world
environments.
Our robots rely on the interplay among behavior-based artificially intelligent systems, real-world dynamic sensors, user-
friendly interfaces and tightly-integrated, electromechanical designs to accomplish their missions efficiently.
AWARE Robot Intelligence Systems. Our proprietary AWARE Robot Intelligence Systems are code bases that enable
the behavioral control of robots. Moreover, the AWARE systems include modules that control 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 defense and security 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 $699 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. The Roomba 600 series robots,
introduced in 2012, offers a three-stage cleaning system which thoroughly vacuums every section of the floor multiple times, as
well as AeroVac technology and improved brush design enabling the robot to better handle fibers like hair, pet fur, lint and
carpet fuzz.
As a result of our acquisition of Evolution Robotics, Inc., we currently offer two Mint automatic floor cleaning robots
designed exclusively for hard surface floors with prices ranging from $199 to $329 based upon performance features. These
robots provide a different cleaning approach than our Roomba products. The Mint 4200 automatically dusts and damp mops
hard surface floors using popular cleaning cloths or our specially designed reusable microfiber cloths. In addition to these
features, the Mint 5200 includes a special reservoir that dispenses liquid throughout the cleaning cycle to keep the cloth damp.
Form 10-K