The reason it has taken so long for the robotics industry to move forward is because people keep trying to make something that is cool but difficult to achieve rather than trying to find solutions to actual human problems. Technology can be extremely expensive if you don't focus.

I think, people are generally willing to imagine robots of all shapes, as humanoid robots are not practical.

One of the big things coming out of healthcare reform is a thing called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS) which is a mechanism to reimburse people staying at home for technology and services that allow them to stay at home.

My very clear vision for the ideal Roomba is one you never see and you never touch. Our research priorities are explicitly focused on the Roomba of the future that will deliver on the promise of automatically cleaning your floor.

I grew up mostly in Schenectady, N.Y. From an early age, building and creating things was a real passion for me.

Hollywood likes to imagine robots as mechanical copies of ourselves - which is a terrible idea.

That's exciting because to create new value in the robot space quickly, you need to stand on the shoulders of other technological developments.