BEDFORD, Mass. – Sept. 16, 2015 -- iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the leader in delivering robotic technology-based solutions, today announced the Roomba 980 vacuum cleaning robot – iRobot’s most capable and best cleaning robotic vacuum to date. Roomba 980 is the first Roomba to combine adaptive navigation with visual localization, cloud connected app control, and increased cleaning power on carpets, helping people to keep cleaner floors throughout the entire home at the push of a button.
“With more than 14 million robots in people’s homes worldwide, iRobot is the global leader in automated home cleaning,” said Colin Angle, chairman and chief executive officer of iRobot. “Roomba 980 is the next big step as it marks iRobot’s first cloud connected product with mapping capabilities for the consumer market. Leveraging the cloud and mapping technologies, robots gain a better understanding of their environment, and customers are provided with more control. Looking ahead, these technologies will also enable expanded capabilities for connected robots in the smart home.”
“Vacuum cleaning robots can’t rely on any one feature or technology to clean effectively,” said Christian Cerda, executive vice president and general manager of iRobot’s Home Robots business unit. “Vacuum performance, efficient navigation, adapting to ever-changing environments and cleaning under furniture where dirt is hiding are all important factors, and they must be balanced. Roomba 980 takes this into account to deliver convenient, customized, powerful cleaning assistance, each and every day."
Smart: Roomba Cleans an Entire Level of a Home with Intelligent Navigation
By combining iRobot’s iAdapt® Responsive Cleaning Technology with new sensors, the Roomba 980 vacuum cleaning robot independently cleans an entire floor level in a home. With Roomba 980, iRobot is implementing its proprietary visual simultaneous localization and mapping (vSLAM®) technology for the first time in a consumer product. This groundbreaking technology is part of iRobot’s new iAdapt® 2.0 Navigation with Visual Localization, which allows Roomba 980 to build a map of its environment as it cleans, keeping track of its location until it has cleaned an entire level. Using the map, Roomba 980 will run continuously for up to two hours1, then automatically return to its Home Base® to recharge and resume until the cleaning is done. Roomba 980 will clean efficiently in open areas by moving in parallel lines while also taking advantage of the robot’s suite of sensors to adapt its pattern when necessary, seamlessly navigating under furniture and around clutter.
Simple: Connect Roomba to Clean from Anywhere with iRobot HOME App
iRobot’s new HOME App allows users to connect Roomba 980 to their Wi-Fi® network, so when cleaning schedules don’t match social or work schedules, they can start a cleaning job from anywhere, anytime. Roomba 980 can also be scheduled to clean up to seven times a week from the familiar Smartphone interface. Available for Android and iOS devices, the HOME App expands Roomba 980’s functionality, allowing users to choose the appropriate cleaning mode for their unique home, such as choosing between one or two passes, edge cleaning and whether to use Carpet Boost behavior. The HOME App also provides information about cleaning status, customized tips and direct access to customer support.
Clean: Twice the Cleaning Performance2 Where it’s Needed Most
Dirt doesn’t stand a chance against the Roomba 980, which is smart enough to detect different floor surfaces and optimize its cleaning power based on the type of floor it’s cleaning. Its AeroForce™ Cleaning System with Carpet Boost provides twice the cleaning power2 by automatically increasing the performance of the Gen 3 motor on carpet and rugs. Roomba 980 features a low profile design to clean under furniture and kickboards, while Dirt Detect™ uses optical and acoustic sensors to detect high concentrations of dirt and debris and perform concentrated cleaning in the areas where it's needed most. First introduced on the Roomba 800 Series, the Roomba 980 also features brushless, dual counter‐rotating debris extractors that grab dirt from any floor type while reducing hair tangles and brush maintenance.
Pricing and Availability
The Roomba 980 vacuum cleaning robot is available for purchase in United States and Canada beginning September 17, 2015 starting at $899 on www.irobot.com. Roomba 980 will also be available in Japan and select European countries beginning Q4, 2015.
Roomba 980 photos, videos and background can be found at: http://media.irobot.com/media-kits
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1Tested in iRobot's Home Test Lab on hard floors. Run times may vary.
2Compared to Roomba 600 and 700 series AeroVac™ systems.
About iRobot Corp.
iRobot designs and builds robots that empower people to do more. The company's home robots help people find smarter ways to clean, its defense & security robots protect those in harm's way, and its remote presence robots enable virtual presence from anywhere in the world. iRobot's consumer and military robots feature proprietary technologies incorporating advanced concepts in navigation, mobility, manipulation and artificial intelligence. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.
