iRobot 700 series arrives to Europe

iRobot launches next generation Roomba

expands popular home robot line; Roomba® 700 series has iAdapt Technology, touchpad controls and 50% per cent longer battery life

IFA, Berlin, GERMANY – iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), a leader in delivering robotic technology-based solutions, has announced the launch of the iRobot Roomba® 700 Series, the smartest and most effective Roomba vacuum cleaning robots to date.

Being unveiled today for the first time in Europe at IFA in Berlin (Hall 5.1, booth 106), the Roomba is sure to attract attention from its millions of loyal fans worldwide, of which a growing percentage reside in Europe. iRobot’s products for the home currently account for approximately 60 per cent of total sales (2010 sales were $401million), of which three-quarters comes from outside the US.

The iRobot Roomba 700 Series uses iAdaptTM Responsive Cleaning Technology, the most intuitive, flexible and effective way to clean your floors currently available on the market. This system of software and sensors monitors the environment 64 times per second, using dozens of behaviours to ensure the entire floor is thoroughly cleaned. The dirt-centric technology ensures thorough coverage, including under and around furniture, and multiple passes over the areas that need it most.

“These new robots represent our ongoing commitment to developing innovative products that make a difference in people’s lives,” said Jeff Beck, president of iRobot’s Home Robots division. “While Roomba is already the world’s best-selling vacuum cleaning robot, we continue to make improvements to ensure it is the best on the market and stays at the head of the pack. Our new robots have some excellent new features, including the ability to ‘see’ and ‘hear’ to detect dirt, making them some of the most sophisticated robots in the home.”

The award-winning Roomba vacuum cleaning robot has been revolutionising the way people clean their homes since 2002, and iRobot has sold more than six million home robots worldwide. The sixth-generation iRobot Roomba 700 Series includes the same state-of-the-art features that Roomba users have come to know and introduces new innovations that make the robot more effective and easier to use.

The newest Roomba robots include an updated and improved three-part cleaning system along with several new features and upgrades:

• Advanced cleaning head improves overall cleaning from previous models, including 20 percent better pickup of fine particulates.
• New AeroVacTM Series 2 bin with a powerful vacuum maximises air flow through Roomba's cleaning head to pull more hair and debris off the brushes and into the bin.
• Two HEPA-type air filters keep fine household dust from re-circulating in your home.
• Dirt Detect Series 2 (available on Roomba 770 and 780) uses an acoustic sensor to detect excessive amounts of small and hard debris, such as sand, and an optical sensor to detect larger and soft debris, such as popcorn.
• With a Persistent Pass Cleaning Pattern, Roomba uses a brush-like, back-and-forth motion to focus its cleaning when it finds an excessively dirty area.
• New power management software results in 50 per cent longer battery life than previous Roomba generations, ensuring hundreds of cleaning cycles with proper use.
• Soft-touch bumper with a new polymer coating protects walls and furniture.
• Full Bin Indicator light turns on when Roomba detects a full dust bin (available on Roomba 770 and 780).
• Touchpad interface provides state-of-the-art control using just your fingertips and eliminates buttons (available on Roomba 780).

The Roomba 700 Series is available immediately at www.iroboteurope.co.uk or from local retailers later this month.