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How Roomba started a robot revolution

Version History

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The team of engineers and researchers that created iRobot didn’t set out to build a vacuum cleaner. They built robots — a lot of robots, with a lot of jobs — before realizing that people might actually want a robot that could help clean their house. And thus was born Roomba. The Verge’s David Pierce and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy are joined by iRobot co-founder Colin Angle to tell the whole story of all those robots, the pivot to vacuums, and why the Roomba was so easy to love even when it couldn’t really clean.

0:00 Why Robot Vacuums
00:43 Meet The Roomba Crew
02:57 MIT Origins Of iRobot
06:01 Fourteen Failed Ideas
09:43 Making Robots Affordable
13:00 From Toys To Floor Care
14:12 Prototype Becomes Roomba
19:16 Sweeper Or Vacuum Debate
22:19 Trust And Attachment
25:13 Cheerios PR Playbook
28:28 Retail Breakthrough 2002
29:31 Brookstone Fluke Success
33:49 Early Problems And Pop Culture
39:33 Was Roomba Actually Good
43:03 Early Roomba Frustrations
44:04 Virtual Walls No WiFi
45:15 Love Hate Gadget Bond
45:45 Carpet Convert Story
46:22 DJ Roomba Moment
47:11 Time Matrix Debate
50:45 Peak Gadget Love
55:36 Fixing Roomba Design
01:01:27 Make Roomba Cool Again
01:03:58 Must Have Features
01:05:04 Hall Of Fame Verdict
01:06:43 Did Roomba Change History
01:08:58 Farewell And Subscribe

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20 Comments

@VersionHistoryPodcast Creator 3 months ago Pinned

What did you name your Roomba?

@brucebanksshow 2 months ago

Him saying subscription pissed me off

@robog-net 3 months ago

YESSS JEN TUOHY BACK ON THE SHOW!!!

@dylanchadderton1 3 months ago (edited)

That prototype looks like something you asked a lego builder to make what a robot vacuum might look like.

@sylvanph 2 months ago

“Roomba is remarkable because it delivered more value than it cost” is the type of answer that shows why founders shouldn’t be allowed in the questions segment

@Steven-f3j2z 5 days ago

It really helps me keep my Floor as a person with a disability.

@SoftComputerMan 3 months ago

One thing I was surprised that didn't come up was battery innovation. The NiCD batteries of the late 90's were so, so much worse than the lithium ions of today. I have to imagine that the increase of power density of more modern batteries was a factor in getting to a Roomba that was able to clean for a meaningful amount of time.

@jamesderrick8201 3 months ago

As someone who cut the fringes from a rug to save my Roomba, Colin was correct. (Yes, I am an Engineer.)

@jwardell 3 months ago

This was great. More founding engineers on version history!

@Steven-f3j2z 5 days ago

The scuba 330 was an amazing device
Robotic mop separate Chambers for clean and dirty water and a blower to dry the floor

@wenscael2166 3 months ago

It's inconceivable that the "smart home season" of Version History took a whole full episode before bringing Jen in

@Decipher2517 3 months ago (edited)

The most fun episode of the show so far! Very interesting to hear the very beginning of the Roomba story

@paradoxregina 3 months ago

The guest is nice and all, but it's kind of wonky to keep them on for so long and to participate in the ranking of their own product.

@danleinweber 3 months ago

Fascinating convo. Would enjoy an episode all about Brookstone

@AngeloGiuffrida 3 months ago

Yay Jen!!! ❤❤

@vhol93 3 months ago

Super cool

@Philipp-413 3 weeks ago

Why is there a switch and not a on button?

@BliteKnight 3 months ago (edited)

I believe having the creator on the show prevents honest criticism. Jen was to kind to fully criticize her first roomba in front of its creator, which is understandable...but it felt like she was really holding back calling it a piece of 💩

@jamesphelps1958 3 months ago

Loved the guest - it gives so much good insight into the product creation. It’s the best one yet.

@DrWonderbaum 3 months ago (edited)

23:06 respectfully , who ever said that to him made a ridiculous comparison. These are two completely different things. I don't want to get to know my Roomba... and frankly, I barely want to get to know my cleaning person (presuming I had one.) My robot vacuum isn't going to rob me. My robot vacuum is going to do the same job as the same robot vacuum from the store. My robot vacuum isn't going to lie about the work performed. My robot vacuum is going to show up when told. These are the reasons we care about who our cleaning people are and why we like to occasionally see the work in progress. Comments like that strike me as a self-described intellectual who needs to contribute a contrary opinion but doesn't actually have anything.