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iRobot Founder Warns Against Close Contact With Walking Humanoids and Predicts a Shift in Robot Design

iRobot Founder Warns Against Close Contact With Walking Humanoids and Predicts a Shift in Robot Design
iRobot co‑founder Brooks recounts a near‑miss with an Agility Robotics Digit humanoid that fell when he got too close, leading him to keep a three‑meter distance from moving bipedal robots. He argues that current walking mechanisms make safety certification for shared human‑robot zones virtually impossible, limiting the deployment of humanoids in health‑care and factories. Looking ahead, Brooks predicts that within 15 years “humanoids” will look nothing like today’s bipedal machines, favoring wheels, varied arm counts, and novel sensor placements. He notes that billions spent on vision‑only, rigid humanoids may be misplaced, while academic work such as MIT’s tactile glove shows promise but remains far from true human‑like dexterity. Leia mais →

iRobot’s Future Looks Uncertain as Revenue Falls and Debt Mounts

iRobot’s Future Looks Uncertain as Revenue Falls and Debt Mounts
iRobot, the maker of the iconic Roomba robot vacuum, reported a sharp revenue decline of 23 percent to $127.6 million in its latest quarter. The drop, driven by weak performance in the U.S. and European markets, comes amid fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers and the collapse of a planned sale to Amazon, leaving the company deep in debt. CEO Gary Cohen warned that the company could shut down within 12 months if conditions do not improve, while still exploring a potential sale or other strategic alternatives. Leia mais →