iRobot 2009 Annual Report Download - page 42

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We also offer more than 60 accessories for the PackBot that provide additional capabilities for the robot,
expanding its range and scope of missions.
iRobot 210 Negotiator: In 2008, we introduced the 210 Negotiator in a Civil Response configuration. This
rugged robot performs basic reconnaissance for public safety professionals, increasing situational awareness in
high-risk scenarios, including bomb identification, hostage situations, search and rescue and other dangerous
missions.
310 SUGV: In 2009, iRobot, in a strategic partnership with The Boeing Company, developed the 310 SUGV,
a man-portable robot with dexterous manipulator and wearable controller for dismounted mobile operations. A
smaller and lighter version of the combat-proven iRobot, PackBot, 310 SUGV enters areas that are inaccessible or
too dangerous for people, providing state-of-the-art technology for infantry troops, combat engineers, mobile EOD
technicians and other personnel. The 310 SUGV gathers situational awareness in dangerous conditions while
keeping war fighters and public safety professionals out of harm’s way.
iRobot 1Ka Seaglider: This Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) is used on long endurance oceanic
missions to measure temperature, salinity, depth-averaged current and other data for oceanographers and military
planners. Seagliders are typically deployed on autonomous missions for six months or more, replacing manned
research vessels at considerable economic advantage.
Contract Research and Development Projects
We are involved in several contract development projects with various U.S. governmental agencies and
departments. The durations of these projects range from a few months to several years. These projects are usually
funded as either cost-plus, firm fixed price, or time and materials contracts. In a cost-plus contract, we are allowed to
recover our actual costs plus a fixed fee. The total price of a cost-plus contract is based primarily on allowable costs
incurred, but generally is subject to a maximum contract funding limit. Under a firm fixed price contract, we receive
a fixed amount upon satisfying contractually defined deliverables. On our time and materials contracts, we recover a
specific amount per hour worked based on a bill rate schedule, plus the cost of direct materials, subcontracts, and
other non-labor costs, including an agreed-upon mark-up. A time and materials contract may provide for a
not-to-exceed price ceiling, as well as the potential that we will absorb any cost overrun.
Government funding is provided to further the development of robot technologies with the expectation that if
the projects result in the development of technically viable prototypes, the government will purchase multiple
production units for future use in the field. The government funding that we receive allows us to accelerate the
development of multiple technologies. While the U.S. government retains certain rights to military projects that it
has funded, such as the right to use inventions and disclose technical data relating to those projects without
constraining the recipient’s use of that data, we retain ownership of patents and know-how and are generally free to
develop other commercial products, both consumer and industrial, utilizing the technologies developed during these
projects. The rights which the government retains, however, may allow it to provide use of patent rights and know-
how to others, and some of the know-how might be used by these third parties for their own development of
consumer and industrial products. The contract development projects that we are currently undertaking include, but
are not limited to:
Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) and Centralized Controller Device. (CCD): 2009 was a year
of significant change and transformation for the Future Combat Systems (FCS) Program which was originally
intended to transform the U.S. Army to be strategically responsive and dominant at every point on the spectrum
of operations, through real-time network centric communications and systems of a family of manned vehicles
and unmanned platforms by the next decade. Following a Defense Acquisition Board meeting, The Depart-
ment of Defense terminated the Manned Ground Vehicle portion of FCS, accelerated the unmanned systems
portion of FCS, and provided guidance for a restructuring of FCS into a series of smaller programs. A new
entity, the Program Executive Office for Integration, or PEO-I, was created to manage the remaining elements
of FCS. The new name for our program under the PEO-I is called Brigade Combat Team Modernization or
BCTM.
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