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Roomba Patent Reveals It Will Empty Itself
Robot Stock News has unveiled another patent from iRobot.
There are more than a dozen different designs in the patent application. All of them are designed so you don’t have to clean out your Roomba.
Some designs would require some modifications to the Roomba, while some would work with existing Roomba models.
Would you shell out more money for a self cleaning Roomba?
See all the patent pictures at Robot Stock News.
iRobot Patents Square End Roomba
In 2008, iRobot filed a patent for a square ended Roomba. The patent was just discovered by Robot Stock News.
In the patent application, the robot’s brushes would be as flush with the front of the robot. Currently they are in the middle.
We can certainly see how this type of robot might clean better by getting into pesky corners, but will we ever actually see it?
Some folks have been waiting for iRobot to produce a robotic lawn mower that has yet to appear.
New iRobot Looj
iRobot has introduced a new Looj robot this week at CES. Not exactly the most exciting robot, but it does serve the function of cleaning your gutters.
The new Looj features an internal antenna, slower speed for more power, tool less battery door and an anti flipping auger. See the full press release at iRobot.com
iRobot has also introduced a YouTube channel called iRobot iTube where you can see videos of CES and other stuff.
We did not see an exact release date for the Looj, but sometime this spring the new Looj will be released in 3 versions, with the lower end model set to retail for $129.99
iRobot to Become Seaworthy With Seaglider
iRobot announced it has purchased technology from the University of Washington. Seen here are the components of Seaglider, an underwater AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle).
Seaglider works by diving down and then surfacing. When it surfaces, it’s antennae is in the air and it can determine its position via GPS. It also sends in its data via a satellite and gets any new instructions.
Seaglider is 1.8 m long and weighs 52 kg, a small enough size to launch or retrieve from a small boat by two people.
Helen Greiner, co-founder and chairman of iRobot, said the company has a strong track record of transferring new technology from research initiatives into products that support military missions an stated,
Ten years ago we transformed the original PackBot into a combat-proven robot used today by soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and licensing the Seaglider from the University of Washington will help our robots conquer new underwater frontiers.
Link to more photos of Seaglider here.