Having Roombas built in an offshore factory was by no means as simple as emailing a folder of design files to our contract manufacturer. Much information needed to be exchanged between the parties, much training needed to occur, and many kinks… Read More »Define Bed
I spent much of my early life terrified of public speaking. The thought of being the center of attention, acting on stage, or talking to a group of people filled me with primal dread. But at the MIT AI Lab,… Read More »Trial by Fire… Alarm
If I worked on non-robotic technology, say high-speed fiber optic communication systems, I expect I would rarely get advice from lay people. It’s hard to imagine meeting a poet or a lawyer at a party, describing that sort of work,… Read More »Armchair Roboticist
The first version of Roomba to hit the market was more popular than we developers had dared hope. An initial factory-order for 15,000 turned quickly into an order for 25,000 followed by orders for many, many more. The company decided… Read More »The Red Roomba Mystery