The US firm behind the Roomba smart vacuum cleaner, iRobot, has filed for bankruptcy protection after facing competition from Chinese rivals and being hit by tariffs. Under the so-called pre-packaged Chapter 11 process, the main manufacturer of its devices, Shenzhen-based Picea Robotics, will take ownership of the firm. The tough commercial landscape had forced iRobot to cut its prices and make major investments in new technology, according to documents filed on Sunday. US import duties of 46% on goods from Vietnam, where most of iRobot's devices for the American market are made, increased its costs by $23m (£17.2m) this year, the firm said. The loss-making company was valued at $3.56bn in 2021 after the pandemic helped to drive strong demand for its products.

The machines have long since left the confines of research labs to explore new realms. They are anticipated to continue their massive spread into pharmacies, the automobile industry, and other industries. Numerous robots are already helping to improve product quality and reduce turnaround times in the manufacturing industry. These robots are proven to be effective at simple tasks and jobs. Robots are prone to fewer mistakes, need less maintenance, and are more cost-effective.

Scientists have found that robotic vacuum cleaners could allow snoopers to remotely listen in to household conversations, despite not being fitted with microphones. US experts found they can perform a remote eavesdropping attack on a Xiaomi Roborock robot cleaner by remotely accessing its Lidar readings – which helps these cleaners to avoid bumping into furniture. Lidar is a method for measuring distances by illuminating the target with laser beams and measuring their reflection with a sensor. But Lidar can also capture sound signals by obtaining reflections off of objects in the home, like a rubbish bin, that vibrate due to nearby sound sources, such as a person talking. A hacker could repurpose a vacuum's Lidar sensor to sense acoustic signals in the environment, remotely harvest the Lidar data from the cloud and process the raw signal with deep learning techniques to extract audio information.

In the present times, AI gadgets are the best outcomes of advanced technology. The tech-savvy people are adapting the features and benefits of AI gadgets very quickly. Those advanced AI gadgets have enhanced the quality of our lifestyle. The smart AI gadgets have enabled us to complete our regular household tasks in smarter ways. Moreover, AI-based smart gadgets can be your best friends in your busy days.

In the last few years, we've been experimenting with humanlike, Artificial Intelligence-based avatars. We integrated these avatars into L&D environments, workplaces, and the academic field. These avatars can act both as personal mentors (or trainers) and as clients or workers in real-world simulations. We wanted to share some of our insights. We believe AI-based trainers are going to dramatically change corporate learning, and empower both trainers and learners.

Instead, they found a trapped robotic vacuum cleaner. Three seasoned deputies -- one with at least 20 years on the force -- a detective who happened to be in the area, and two canine officers all responded to the call of a burglary in progress at a Cedar Hills home near Portland, Ore. Instead, they found a trapped robotic vacuum cleaner. The Washington County sheriff in Oregon says there was nothing unusual about the call. Sure, it was broad daylight -- 1:48 p.m. local time exactly -- but "crime can happen anytime."

What better stock to review first for robots and AI month than one of the most familiar names in the space: iRobot (IRBT)? For one, as mentioned, the company is familiar. I would reckon that pretty much everyone reading this either has a Roomba, knows someone who has one, or at the very least knows what it is! Secondly, the company has an extremely easy-to-understand business model. And third, iRobot is very much a "pure play" on the robotics trend, in a space where a lot of the advancements are taking place within the "skunk works" divisions of larger, more diversified companies that make their money in other ways.

Cyber Monday is a few weeks away, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared, especially with Amazon deals. The online retailer has not specified what exactly it will offer on Cyber Monday, but it will most likely reveal the deals closer to the day. Meanwhile, Amazon launched its "Black Friday Deals Store" last week, a countdown event packed with deals leading up to the shopping day. For those who want to get a head start on planning their shopping, here are some items Amazon could have deals on during Cyber Monday, Nov. 27 Amazon usually lowers its prices on its devices, like Echo gadgets and Kindles, on big shopping days. During Cyber Monday last year, and on Prime Day this summer, the online retailer slashed prices for Amazon devices.

Neato Robotics has doubled the storage in its latest robot vacuum cleaner, the Botvac D7 Connected, and given owners new ways to interact with it. It doesn't hold any more dust than its predecessors, the D3 and D5, but it does have twice the memory capacity. With 256MB of RAM and 4GB of flash storage, according to CEO Giacomo Marini, it can use its laser sensor to map its surroundings in greater detail than before. The upgrade has allowed Neato to update its smartphone app with some new mapping functions, including the ability to set virtual no-go areas where the robot should not clean. Previous models had to be physically kept away from litter trays or Lego works-in-progress by magnetic strips placed on the floor.

Your message has been sent. There was an error emailing this page. This is a Prime Day deal good for today only, and reserved for Amazon Prime members (or those with a free trial: sign up here). The Roomba 652 Vacuuming Robot provides a thorough clean at the push of a button. Preset Roomba to clean when it's convenient for you, so you can keep up with everyday mess.