Roomba

Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners sold by iRobot. Introduced in September 2002, Roomba features a set of sensors that enable it to navigate the floor area of a home and clean it. For instance, Roomba's sensors can detect the presence of obstacles, detect dirty spots on the floor, and sense steep drops to keep it from falling down stairs. Roomba uses two independently operating side wheels, that allow 360° turns in place. A rotating, 3-pronged spinner brush can sweep debris from square corners to the cleaning head. The Roomba units have a range of model sizes with the 400 to 900 series, which provide several different features, such as tangle-free brushes, separate sweep canister, a more powerful vacuum, obstacle avoidance, or performance maps displayed via a smartphone app. However, some parts of the Roomba models are interchangeable between related models, allowing a mix/match of features, or switching into other units for longer battery operation. The 900 series Roombas also feature a camera, which works in conjunction with onboard mapping, indoor positioning system and navigation software, to systematically cover all floor area, move from room to room and find recharging bases and beacons.