by Trish Austin

Created on: February 20, 2009   Last Updated: March 04, 2009

Roomba is the next reality. In fact, Roomba is an example of the next reality happening, now. iRobot, the company behind Roombas, have been making the Roomba vacuum cleaners for years. iRobot was founded in 1990. Today, iRobot has grown to a 307 million dollar public company. They employ more than 400 of the robotic industry's finest professionals.

iRobot's home robots have and are revolutionizing the way people clean. Inside the home, the Roomba floor cleaner vacuuming has sold more than 2 million worldwide. In addition, to the vacuum cleaners, they have the iRobot Scooba a floor washing robot. Then, there's iRobot Dirt Dog shop sweeping vacuum for garages, the iRobot Verro pool cleaning robot and the iRobot Looj gutter cleaning robot.

What is truly amazing about the company is not just the way they are changing the way people clean their homes. The iRobot company produced for robots for the government. These robots protect people from having to be harmed or even killed. These combat proven robots perform multiple missions. At least 2000 iRobot PackBot tactical mobile robots have been delivered to military and civil defense forces worldwide. These amazing robots perform thousands of dangerous search, reconnaissance and bomb disposal missions. These missions keep troops from getting hurt or killed.

iRobot's line of government and industrial robots includes the iRobot negotiator, an affordable surveillance robot for public safety professionals, and the iRobot Warrior, a large and rugged robot designed to carry 150 pound payloads. iRobot is a major player in the U.S. Army's Future Comabat Systems, they are developing a next generation, Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle. Lastly, there's the Seaglider and Ranger, iRobot's Unmanned Underwater Vehicles that perform a variety of missions for researchers and military planners.

Then, there's iRobot 2.0 robot intelligence software. This software enables third-party developers with the plans for developing the networked, behavior based robot applications. The Robot Developer's Kit, a set of hardware tools, is designed to give developer's a head start in creating advanced payloads and capabilities for all iRobot platforms. Then, there's even the iRobot Packbot with ICx Fido Explosives Detection Kit, an advanced security solution that identifies explosive vapors, is just one way iRobot has created successful third party development partnership.

Finally, Roomba clearly is not a fad. Every year iRobot comes out with a new type of floor cleaner and or an improved model of the year's previous. The fact that they are creating advanced robotics that the government uses only further evidence that Roomba is not a fad. This company is paving the way for robotics. The Roomba vacuums and the other cleaners will only get better every year. Then, who knows what they may introduce in years to come to the public. Robotics is the next reality, and Roomba vacuums are only a glimmer of the next reality .

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