iRobit Corp is a Bedford Massachusetts, USA based robot manufacturing company, which is known for making the robotic vacuum cleaner named Roomba.
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Other companies already build autonomous robotic lawnmowers (see video) but the iRobot innovation is to circumscribe the mowing area through radio signals rather than physical barriers. The Federal Communications Commission was even prompted the company to make sure that the transmission between the machine and its antennas wouldn’t interfere with other important devices with similar frequencies.
There are other options for those who wish to let a robot do the handy work for them, with Flymo’s robotic lawn mower being a more than adequate tool for the job, albeit an incredibly pricey one. FCC has granted the waiver, regardless of the complaint from National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).
According to Reuters, iRobot’s design for an automated lawn mower differs from those that require underground fences, instead relying on stakes in the ground that act as beacons.
“The FCC’s assessment agrees with our analysis that the technology will not have a negative impact on radio astronomy”, iRobot’s spokesman said in a statement welcoming the FCC’s move.
Robotic lawn mowers have recently been embraced in Europe and it’s time for the United States to get on board, says anyone who has had to mow the lawn in the summer.
Just don’t expect a robot mower to hitting the shelves anytime soon, as iRobot has stated that the FCC’s permission will allow them to continue “exploring” the possibility of a product in the lawn mowing category.
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This new technology is a big leap for iRobot after its success with Roomba. As of now, there are no exact amounts to how much the new lawn mower would costs.
