iRobot's Greiner steps down as chair

Helen Greiner has resigned as chairman of the board of iRobot Corp. of Bedford, one of the nation's leading robot makers.

Greiner will be replaced as chairman by Colin Angle, who will also retain his present role as chief executive of the company. Greiner will stay on as a member of the board of iRobot, which makes the popular Roomba robotic floor cleaners, as well as PackBot military robots.

Greiner plans to devote more time to her work with robot industry associations, including the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council's robotics cluster, and the Robotics Technology Consortium, a national association of over 80 firms. She also hinted at a willingness to take a post at another robotics company.

"My future's entirely open," Greiner said. "I am only 40, so I certainly don't envisage retiring." (By Hiawatha Bray, Globe staff)