Roomba robot vacuums face a shakeup
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The original Roomba was the first robot vacuum in the US, and the second ever made, following Electrolux’s Trilobite the year prior. A basic bump-and-roll bot with bump and cliff sensors, the Roomba rolled randomly around your home, sucking up dirt, bumping from wall to wall, and generally trying not to fall down stairs.
Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware, capping off several difficult years of financial woes for the U.S. robot vacuum company. Announced on Sunday, iRobot will now be acquired by Chinese robotics company Picea, which has been acting as its secured lender and primary contract manufacturer.