Story highlightsRoomba creators iRobot reveal how they learned from robotic experimentsThe algorithm that powers Roomba's movements was developed for clearing minefieldsCo-founder Colin Angle says iRobot originally planned to go to the moonThe future: a "menagerie of robots" -- some friendly, some invisible...For many -- 10 million, in fact -- the answer will be Roomba. The mini vacuum cleaning robot, launched in 2002, has become an everyday fixture in homes across the world -- earning pet-names from affectionate owners and a unique place among the internet's viral cat videos. Colin Angle, who co-founded manufacturers iRobot in 1990 with fellow MIT alums Rodney Brooks and Helen Greiner, hails Roomba as "the world's first practical home robot." The company is now hoping to infiltrate the boardroom with its wandering "AVA" telepresence robot, and the battlefield with its line of defense machines.MUST WATCH JUST WATCHEDReplayMore Videos ...MUST WATCH In fact, our first business model was to send a robot to the moon and sell the movie rights.

We actually got quite far. It didn't ultimately succeed but it did get us going, and the Spirit and Opportunity rovers were impacted by the work we'd done. It was very cool but not a great business.What did everyone think robot vacuuming was going to be? Well, they think Rosie the Robot from "The Jetsons," a human robot that pushed a vacuum. That was never going to happen. Did you forget to clean Bob's front wheel as a part of your regular maintenance to the point that the wheel is completely stuck? Here is how to disassemble, clean, and reassemble Bobsweep's front wheel. Flip Bob over and remove the 7 screws around which hold the cover together. Remove the main brush. Unscrew the holder, and lift the brush out. Reminder: Keep this screw separate from the others so you can use it later to reinstall. Depending on your model, there may be only 6 screws installed on bObsweep. There are two screw holes inside the brush compartment: one in the centre, one on the left end.

Remove both and keep aside for reassembly. There are five more screws around bObsweep's edges. Two are installed at the top and bottom, and one on the right end of the main brush.philips stick vacuum cleaner Flip bOb back over so you can see the screen. vax vacuum cleaner half priceLift the cover up to reveal bObsweep’s main board.stirling 2 in 1 cordless vacuum cleaner Detach the power inlet from the cover. Grip and slide it out. Remove three circuit plugs from the motherboard. Pinch the small white tab on the side of each circuit plug and pull straight up to release each from the motherboard. 1. On the bottom left corner: a small connector with red, black and white wires. 2. One thick white wire that attaches on the right side of the previous connector.

3. On the top edge of bOb’s motherboard: a wide multicoloured connector. Place the cover aside and begin your repair. There is one screw holding the front wheel in place. It is found in front of bObsweep's main board. Hold the wheel from underneath bObsweep while removing the screw. Set the screw and washer aside for later. Lift bObsweep up and the front wheel will be removed. There are four washers between the front wheel and bObsweep. They usually sit on top of the wheel, but can sometimes get stuck on bObsweep. Make sure to check underneath your vacuum if any pieces are missing. There will be one wide black washer that fits in the grooved section of the wheel. The other three washers make up the bearing assembly on the innermost ring of the wheel. Un-install the three screws holding the front wheel together. The whole piece will open up so you can remove and clean each piece. After cleaning, reassemble all the pieces. Hold the wheel together while installing all three screws.

Place the washer and bearing assembly back on the front wheel in the correct order. The large black washer sits on top of the wheel. The number 2 side should be facing upwards. The bearing assembly should be replaced in the following order: Place one silver bearing on the wheel, flat side facing down. Place the gold bearing next. The final piece is the second silver bearing. It should be placed on top of the wheel. This time the flat side should be facing up. Put the fully assembled front wheel back in place underneath bObsweep. Reinstall the final washer and screw from inside bObsweep, while holding the wheel in place. This will ensure a secure installation. Thorough cleaning of the wheel ensures better performance and can be performed as often as necessary. Past 24 Hours: 0 Past 7 Days: 5 Past 30 Days: 33 The consumer robotics market is ready to explode, and one of the companies leading the charge is the American robotics brand, iRobot.

You probably know iRobot for its Roomba vacuum cleaners, but the company has also created a line of robots for military, law enforcement, exploratory, and even medical purposes. The PackBot, for example, was used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan for reconnaissance and bomb disposal. And the company's new platform, Ava, provides intelligent, mobile telepresence capabilities to doctors and other caregivers. We recently took a trip to iRobot’s headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts, to talk about what’s in store for iRobot and the robotics industry as a whole. Along the way, we also got to play with some pretty cool tech. iRobot Roomba 880 Vacuum Cleaning Robot LG HOM-BOT Turbo+ Robot Vacuum Doubles as Security Dog When paired with a smartphone, the HOM-BOT Turbo+ robot vacuum can send you photos of the inside of your home, doubling down as a security guard. Have you ever wanted a robot vacuum that doubles as security system? LG Electronics’ HOM-BOT Turbo+ robot vacuum, which will debut at CES 2016, employs augmented reality (AR) technology with a smart feature called Home-Joy.