How Roomba invented the home robot — and lost the future

Source: The Verge

How iRobot invented the Roomba — and lost the future of home robotics

Roomba is way past code red.

For many, iRobot’s Roomba robot vacuum was their first experience with a home robot. When I got my Roomba in 2005, I felt like I was a step closer to my dream of living in a Jetsons‑style home where a robot did my chores for me. It was expensive, around $300 for a small…