Firm notes orders for bomb-disposal robots

BEDFORD, Mass., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- iRobot of Massachusetts has announced international orders for 27 PackBot bomb-disposal/reconnaissance robots in the first quarter of 2011.

The orders for the 501 Packbots, which included provisions for spare parts, were worth $4.4 million, the company said.

"Our allies recognize the life-saving benefits provided by our robots," said Robert Moses, president of iRobot's Government and Industrial Robots division. "The emerging international market provides an important growth opportunity for iRobot and one in which we invested heavily in 2010.

"We think that over time, sales of the iRobot PackBot and Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles into this market could total 15 to 20 percent of our government and industrial product revenue."

iRobot's Government and Industrial Robots division said in 2010 it received international orders totaling $13.2 million.

The identities of the customers weren't disclosed but the company said it has delivered its government and industrial line of robots to more than 25 countries, seven of which were new customers last year.