Roomba was the robot vacuum cleaner launched by iRobot in 2002.
The original Roomba was a small, disk-shaped autonomous vacuum designed to move around domestic rooms, detect obstacles and clean floors without being pushed by a person. Its launch helped make consumer robotics visible to a mass market beyond toys and research laboratories.
iRobot developed Roomba after earlier work on military and space robotics. The machine used sensors to avoid collisions and falls, while rotating brushes and suction collected dirt. Later generations added features such as room mapping, docking stations and smartphone control.
Roomba is a brand name, not the generic name for every robotic vacuum. iRobot also sold the Scooba floor-washing robot and the Braava family of robot mops. The original Roomba was introduced in 2002, making it one of the best-known early household robots.