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Boing Boing

iRobot’s demise a warning to U.S. gadget companies

Rob Beschizza
Dec 22, 2025
∙ Paid

roomba Image: iRobot

iRobot, founded in 1990 by three MIT roboticists, made robot vacuum cleaners a household staple, but last month it filed for bankruptcy and announced plans to sell itself to the factory. Almost bought by Amazon in 2023, it was held back by financial problems and regulators who blocked that sale, while being outpaced by rivals with be…

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