IRobot unveils Roomba for pet owners

Have a tabby that sheds fur at a frightful rate? Not to worry. Bedford's iRobot Corp. said today it has introduced a new version of its vacuum-cleaning Roomba house robot that's designed to resolve a pet owner's "hairy situations."

According to iRobot, the Roomba Pet Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot won't just put an end to Fido fur balls; it's also powerful enough to pick up "pet dander, kitty litter, and debris." Who knows what's next from iRobot? A Roomba pooper-scooper, perhaps?

In any case, the pet series Roombas, which comes in several models, have a suggested retail price range of $349 to $399, iRobot said.

The company also unveiled the new iRobot Roomba 610 Professional Series Robot; with a suggested price of $599, this Roomba is ideal for "larger homes, offices, or business settings," the company said.

For some previous stories about iRobot, including a story in today's Globe about the departure of the company's chief technology officer, please click here.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)