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Neato XV-11 Unboxing and Breakdown.

This is an unboxing and full breakdown of the new Neato XV-11 robotic vacuum cleaner.  Visit our Neato Forum for more information and detailed questions and answers about the Neato XV-11 and how it compares to the Roomba Vacuum.

$20M Order from NAVSEA Keeps iRobot Corp Thriving

Following better-than-expected results for the second quarter of 2010, leading robotics company iRobot Corp. continues its strong performance for this year, this time by winning a $20.3 million contract for battle-tested robots from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).  
The order, a standalone contract, is for 125 PackBot Man Transportable Robotic System (MTRS) robots. The deal also includes spare parts and repair services if needed. 
The PackBot MTRS robot’s predecessor, the highly-succesful iRobot 510 PackBot, is one of the most popular battlefield robots in the world today. They are deployed in war-ravaged areas including Iraq and Afghanistan, and are used in hazardous missions primarily to search for and neutralize hidden explosives. These robots have proven their reliability in deactivating car bombs, roadside bombs, and improvised explosive devices or IEDs.  
Robots, said iRobot President for Government and Industrial Robots Division Joe Dryer, have long shown their worth on the battlefield. With roadside bombs and similar devices continuing to pose danger in Iraq and Afghanistan, he emphasizes the need for “outfitting our troops with tools to ensure they stay as safe as possible.”
“The iRobot PackBot is saving lives, and we are honored to be providing this technology to the military“, Dryer adds.
It can be recalled that just last month, iRobot also received an order for 94 units of Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles or SUGVs as part of a $14.6 million contract with the US Army.
To date, iRobot Corp has filled orders for more than 3,500 unmanned ground vehicles from both the military and public safety organizations.

Following better-than-expected results for the second quarter of 2010, leading robotics company iRobot Corp. continues its strong performance for this year, this time by winning a $20.3 million contract for battle-tested robots from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).  

iRobot Revenues Continue to Rise as US Army Orders More SUGVs

iRobot’s 2nd Quarter results have already gone way beyond analyst’s expectations but the Roomba-maker is still not showing signs of slowing down. Just this week, they received an order of 94 more SUGVs.
That order, which  is part of a $14.6 million contract, will enable the US Army to acquire new SUGV 310’s (more about this robot below) from iRobot, which has partnered with Boeing in building them.
According to iRobot’s latest Revenue and Earnings Report, Government & Industrial robot revenue increased 65 percent in the second quarter over the second quarter of 2009, driven by shipments of 138 PackBot robots and 100 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles during the quarter.
SUGVs or Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles are small, 30-pound, portable robots that can fit in a MOLLE (MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) pack. iRobot SUGVs come in 2 main variants: the 310, for dismounted mobile operations, and the 320, for infantry missions. 
The two versions come with game-style hand controllers and heads-up displays, which allow the soldier/operator to control the robot remotely via UHF radio frequency. Under optimal conditions, the robot can be controlled from a distance of 1,000 m. That’s usually more than enough to put the human soldier out of harm’s way.
The 310 SUGV is already equipped with a dexterous manipulator, making it suitable not only for surveillance and reconnaissance, but also for bomb disposal, checkpoint, and inspection operations. These operations are considered high-risk, and have already cost the lives of many human soldiers. By using these robots, less lives are lost. Besides, some blown up robots can be put together again.
Both robots are smaller versions of another highly successful iRobot product, the Packbot. A veteran of the war in Iraq and an active participant of the one ongoing in Afghanistan, the Packbot is one of the most widely used robots in the battlefield. There are no less than 2,000 Packbots in operation today.
Under the Army’s Brigade Combat Team Modernization (BCTM) program, iRobot is currently developing the next-generation SUGVs.

iRobot’s 2nd Quarter results have already gone way beyond analyst’s expectations but the Roomba-maker is still not showing signs of slowing down. Just this week, they received an order of 94 more SUGVs.

Permanent Seal on BP Oil Well Is Now In Sight - Thanks to Robots

With an experimental cap put in place by underwater robots showing no signs of leakage, it looks like the Gulf of Mexico can breathe again once more.  

Neato XV-11 Robotic Floorcleaner to begin shipping THIS WEEK!

Neato has announced that the Neato XV-11 will begin shipping pre-orders this week!

It will also be available at retail beginning in mid-july, so stay tuned for our in depth reviews and coverage later in the week!

Arena Now Set For the Android vs iPhone Robot Showdown

Android and iPhone devices are trampling on their rivals in the free-for-all battle over smartphone supremacy. But which of these two phones is really the smartest and baddest in the planet? A robot match is about to settle this argument once and for all.

iRobot to Host STREAM 2010 Robotics Education Workshop

iRobot Corp. today announced that it will host the STREAM 2010 workshop for robotics education from June 24-25 at its headquarters in Bedford, Mass.

Will The First MSI Robovac Usher in "The End of Netbooks"?

Does the entry of a third netbook company into the floor cleaning industry signal an end to the netbook wars?

Evolution Robotics Now Accepting Pre-Orders for Mint

Since receiving an award at CES 2010, the Evolution Mint Floor Cleaner slipped into obscurity. Now, those who were impressed with it then can start taking the first step in acquiring this new floor general.

WPI Set to Offer Ph.D. in Robotics

Academic institutions may now start filling industry's growing need for people with robotics expertise.

It's National Robotics Week!

National Robotics Week is more relevant than ever. Find out why and what the event is all about.

iRobot Expands Relationship With Jabil

Jabil Circuit Inc. will now help iRobot Corp. in the manufacturing, testing, and supplying of the robot company's consumer robotics line.

Android OS Now Used To Drive Real Robots

For those wondering about the propriety of the name "Android" as a mobile device operating system, wonder no more because its real purpose has finally been revealed. It's really an operating system for robots.

Enter the One-Eyed Dust-Sucking Dragon - Chinavasion's Robovac

Look out iRobot, Neato, Evolution, and Samsung. A company from the world's fastest rising economy has just tossed its own robotic vacuum cleaner into the fray.

iRobot Celebrates Two Decades of Innovation in Robotics

iRobot commemorated its 20th anniversary today.

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Poll

What do you think of the design of the New Neato XV-11 Robot?
I dig the retro look!
12%
It looks OK to me.
31%
I like how it looks.
15%
It's kind of ugly.
18%
It is ugly but if the claims hold up to what they say, I'm getting one!!
16%
YES!! Can we say U G L Y?
7%
Total votes: 134

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