Monday, October 29, 2007

All-Stars

Robotics: Cleaning up at home and on the battlefield

By Catherine Williams

Colin Angle and Helen Greiner charged onto the robotics scene 17 years ago, just months after graduating from MIT, when this dynamic tech duo co-founded iRobot Corp.

Since then, iRobot's robots have landed on the battlefields of Iraq and zipped along the linoleum floors of homes worldwide, bringing in revenue of $189 million last year. Angle, iRobot's CEO, and Greiner, the company's chairman, have led the way -- delivering the company from drawing board in 1990 to Wall Street 15 years later.

The success of the company is built on iRobot's dual focus on two markets: defense and consumer products. The Burlington-based robotics company produces bomb-detecting robots for the U.S. military while selling vacuuming and mopping robots for consumers.

In 1990, Angle and Greiner set out to make robots mainstream. Since then, they have helped launch a fledgling industry -- and have made plenty of money doing it. Revenue at iRobot doubled in 2006 to $189 million, up from $95 million in 2004.

Early on, iRobot drew some funding from the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop robots for the military. By 2002 iRobot began winning a multimillion-dollar defense contracts for its PackBot robots, including a $140 million contract with the U.S. Navy in September 2005. In fact, iRobot has been the prime contractor on more than 100 U.S. Department of Defense PackBot-related contracts, including research contracts, delivery-order contracts and purchase orders for robots, parts and repairs, according to the company.

PackBots are designed to do the dirty and dangerous work of detecting and disarming roadside improvised explosive devices by remote control. They run on a pair of tank tracks and come equipped with rugged sensors and cameras. For the home, iRobot produces colorful, home-cleaning robots that vacuum -- the Roomba, and mop -- the Scooba.

Bringing iRobot's products to market is the serious and diligent work of the pair and their team of 250 engineers. Angle and Greiner led iRobot through its successful initial public offering in July 2005.

The two met in 1985 on their first day as MIT undergraduate students during a differential calculus class. They both went on to earn undergraduate degrees in engineering and master's degrees in computer science. But their attraction to technology -- and a kindred passion for building cool stuff -- began years before.

For Angle, the call came early. Family lore features a story about how Angle, now 40, fixed a broken toilet after his mother read him the instruction book when he was just 3 years old.

For Greiner, 39, her love of engineering began at 11 years old, when her father brought home a Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 computer for the family in 1977. Greiner claimed it for her own after sitting for hours hacking away at it, she said.

"It was the first time I saw engineering and computers as a creative outlet," said Greiner.

Both Angle and Greiner studied under MIT professor Rodney Brooks, who until recently had served as the director of MIT's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Brooks is also a iRobot co-founder and serves as iRobot's CTO.

For all of iRobot's success, Angle and Greiner say failures taught them to vet plans thoroughly and foster a creative environment while steadfastly protecting the company's intellectual property. They also describe the Massachusetts robotics industry as healthy and vibrant. Greiner said Massachusetts has outpaced other regions in robotics.

"Massachusetts is a leader, if not the leading center, of robotics in the world," said Greiner.

And iRobot is working to make sure the industry continues to grow in the region by training young scientists. IRobot established an internship program with local universities including Worcester Polytechnic Institute; last year, the company sponsored 30 interns.

Meanwhile, Angle and Greiner are on to the next project. It will be several years before robots can load laundry, said Angle, but this month iRobot launched two new robots for the commercial market. One, known as the Looj, is designed to clean gutters. A second robot, known as the ConnectR, is built to patrol an empty house and serves as a communications tool. For example, a traveling parent is able to talk with and see their children using the ConnectR, which is equipped with a camera and a microphone.

But Greiner said she is looking forward to displaying a crushed PackBot back from Camp Victory in Iraq at the company's new offices in Bedford. A proud marine presented the mangled machine to iRobot after the robot had served in the last of its 19 missions detecting and dismantling battlefield bombs.

"We are out to change the world and build an industry. What a great thing to be able to wake up in the morning and drive to work and do," said Angle.