iRobot awarded new funds from Congress

BEDFORD, Mass., Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Congress has appropriated new funding for iRobot Corp. for the company to continue development of its Warrior 700 robot technology.

Massachusetts-based iRobot Corp. was awarded $2 million in appropriated funds as part of Congress' Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance and Continuing Appropriations Act of 2009 to expand its military robot offerings.

As part of the deal, iRobot will continue to develop its Warrior 700 rugged robot that officials say is capable of 150-pound payloads and is designed to provide real-time video, audio and sensor readings while keeping soldiers at a safe distance

"This funding will allow iRobot to expand its product line, which continues to evolve as the need for unmanned ground vehicles grows worldwide," Joe Dyer, iRobot Government and Industrial Robots president, said in a statement.