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I used to work for iRobot. This post is gibberish. The companies he mentions just aren't that interested in robotics. Microsoft has made some progress in roboti

I used to work for iRobot. This post is gibberish. The companies he mentions just aren't that interested in robotics. Microsoft has made some progress in robotics development environments, but that isn't a large priority for them. The market there is incredibly small while there is a small developer ecosystem. Apple most especially wouldn't be interested. More importantly, you probably don't understand this source as well as I do. This blogger has been posting for years about iRobot's stock. It seems he has remained bullish on iRobot the entire time. This is just the latest post saying how awesome iRobot is. The problem is that few others in the market agree. He mentions that their stock is 3X their 2008 low. That's lovely, but my options are still under water from 2006. It's laughable really. I do think iRobot will be acquired within a few years, but the most likely buyer is a defense contractor. Foster Miller went through a similar acquisition with Qinetiq. To stay independent, iRobot would need to make new robots - but they have refused to invest internal research & development dollars in any meaningful way. This is why products like the Warrior take so long for development - the dev is trickled in through contracts depending on the whims of DoD and Congress. None of this is private information by the way: as a public company their are very scrutinized about their iR&D spending.

thornstevens 16y ago
If you read the post, the point is made that a defense contractor is a more likely takeover candidate in the near-term. But five years from now, why wouldn't a forward looking guy like Steve Jobs, or even Bill Gates, turn their attention to home robotics?
- ivankirigin 16y ago
  Because the business of building robots has nothing to do with building OSes or media players? How about that for a start?
  - thornstevens 16y ago
    I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I see home robotics as the natural progression of computing into the home. A world where your iPad, your phone, your computer, your TV and your home robots are all connected. It's very limiting to think of home robots as just a vacuum cleaner. The vision is for a family of robots taking care of you and your home — doing chores, providing entertainment, doubling as a security guard, keeping an eye on grandma and making sure she's taking her pills. The iPad makes all this so much easier than pre-iPad, because it can be the face and brains of the robot, and you just need a chassis to attach it to. There's so much potential just waiting for somebody with deep pockets and vision to get it done.
    - ivankirigin 16y ago
      The problem is that there are toys and vacuum cleaners and not much else. It will be at least a few years before we have another compelling category of home robot. You should strive to understand the reasons for these short term limitations. But the net effect is that it is very much only vacuums for at least a few years.

thornstevens 16y ago

If you read the post, the point is made that a defense contractor is a more likely takeover candidate in the near-term. But five years from now, why wouldn't a forward looking guy like Steve Jobs, or even Bill Gates, turn their attention to home robotics?

ivankirigin 16y ago
Because the business of building robots has nothing to do with building OSes or media players? How about that for a start?
- thornstevens 16y ago
  I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I see home robotics as the natural progression of computing into the home. A world where your iPad, your phone, your computer, your TV and your home robots are all connected. It's very limiting to think of home robots as just a vacuum cleaner. The vision is for a family of robots taking care of you and your home — doing chores, providing entertainment, doubling as a security guard, keeping an eye on grandma and making sure she's taking her pills. The iPad makes all this so much easier than pre-iPad, because it can be the face and brains of the robot, and you just need a chassis to attach it to. There's so much potential just waiting for somebody with deep pockets and vision to get it done.
  - ivankirigin 16y ago
    The problem is that there are toys and vacuum cleaners and not much else. It will be at least a few years before we have another compelling category of home robot. You should strive to understand the reasons for these short term limitations. But the net effect is that it is very much only vacuums for at least a few years.