Photos: The history of iRobot's Roomba

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Rug Warrior

Joe Jones came up with the idea for the Roomba in 1989. Here's a history of its development, from the early models to the present version.
This is the "Rug Warrior" -- the mostly LEGO robot Joe Jones built for the AI Olympics in 1989. It’s Roomba's earliest ancestor.
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Scamp, the first version of Roomba

Scamp was the first version of Roomba Joe Jones and Paul Sandin built at iRobot. The photo is from early 2000. It was on the strength of this demo that iRobot decided to move forward with Roomba development.
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Roomba office

Here's the original Roomba office, circa 2002. The team consisted of five or six people.
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Roomba test floor

Joe Jones and iRobot tested Roomba on as large a variety of surfaces as they could easily construct.
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Dust Puppy Gen 2

After Scamp came DustPuppy-Gen2. They built three of these, later in 2000.
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Dust Puppy SLA

From Joe Jones: "This 2001 version shows the configuration iRobot settled on for the first product. There were many iterations of this form back in the days when 3D printed parts could cost thousands of dollars."
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Roomba, deconstructed

From Joe Jones: "The first injection molded shots that come back from the factory typically don’t use the color scheme selected for the product. Instead when testing the setup the factory just uses whatever plastic they happen to have. Since the Chinese factory that made the first Roombas also made toys we got a very colorful robot." (2002)
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Roomba, in colors

Here's what the colorful Roomba looked like when pieced together (2002).
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Joe Jones's Roomba

Here's one of the first Roombas that Joe Jones took home and photographed on the floor at his house (2003).
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones
Roomba 416

Here's the 2008 Roomba 416.
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: CNET
iRobot Scooba 450

iRobot's $600 Scooba 450 can "tackle heavier spills, stains, and other unsightly messes with comparable ease."
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: CNET
Roomba 790

This is the 2013 iRobot Roomba 790.
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: CNET
Modern Roomba

Here's the latest version, iRobot's Roomba 980.
Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: CNET.com

Rug Warrior

Joe Jones came up with the idea for the Roomba in 1989. Here's a history of its development, from the early models to the present version.

This is the "Rug Warrior" -- the mostly LEGO robot Joe Jones built for the AI Olympics in 1989. It’s Roomba's earliest ancestor.

Also see: Joe Jones: Roomba inventor. Roboticist. Vindicated pioneer.

Image: Joe Jones

By Hope Reese

Hope Reese is a journalist in Louisville, KY. Her writing has been featured in The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, Playboy, Undark Magazine, VICE, Vox, and other publications.

Rug Warrior

Scamp, the first version of Roomba

Roomba office

Roomba test floor

Dust Puppy Gen 2

Dust Puppy SLA

Roomba, deconstructed

Roomba, in colors

Joe Jones's Roomba

Roomba 416

iRobot Scooba 450

Roomba 790

Modern Roomba

Rug Warrior

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