iRobot Appoints Vice Admiral Joe Dyer - U.S. Navy, Ret. - to Lead Expansion of Military...

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers/Defense Writers

Annual Meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 2003

iRobot Corp. today announced it has appointed Vice Admiral Joe Dyer (U.S. Navy, ret.) to lead iRobot's Military Systems Division.

As executive vice president and general manager of the Military Systems Division, Dyer will work closely with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop reconnaissance robots that will change the way wars are fought in the future. Dyer's appointment comes as iRobot expands its Military Systems Division to take on multiple new projects, including iRobot's recently announced agreement to develop a next-generation small unmanned ground vehicle as part of the U.S. Army's Future Combat System.

"From his prestigious career in the military, Joe brings an intimate working knowledge of technology and military requirements. Our robots will protect the lives of our armed forces and provide real-time intelligence to the soldiers," said Helen Greiner, president and co-founder of iRobot. "Through Joe, we can work in step with the military to deliver the robot power they need, in the time frame they require."

Prior to retiring as commander of the Naval Air Systems Command earlier this year, Dyer was responsible for the full life-cycle of Navy and U.S. Marine Corps manned and unmanned aircraft as well as air-launched weapons. He also was accountable for naval aviation safety including Marine One, the U.S. president's helicopters. His career included positions as naval aviation's chief engineer and commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division. Earlier in his career, Dyer served as the Navy's chief test pilot.

"Today we are on the cusp of being able to win any conflict quickly and decisively," Dyer said. "The key is to create a truly networked force, which means connecting critical elements to achieve the kind of superior knowledge that allows us to react quickly, without large forces, casualties and protracted wars.

"Critical elements of network-centric warfare include aircraft and satellites, both of which have existed for many decades," Dyer explains. "However, robots are the transformational 'missing link' needed to make network-centric warfare an affordable reality. My vision for iRobot is to provide that critical piece, and I am confident we will do it."

In Afghanistan in 2002, iRobot's PackBot was the first ground robot in history to participate in a military conflict. Today, PackBots are at work in Iraq finding explosive devices. Visit www.packbot.com for more information.

Last week, iRobot executives appeared before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations to demonstrate a new bomb disposal robot for use in homeland security. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robot allows local, state and federally supported bomb squads to safely defuse a full range of explosive devices, while remaining a safe distance away.

About iRobot

iRobot has a long commitment to building robotic products that make living safer and easier for people in many walks of life. Over the past 12 years, iRobot has developed and built innovative products for the military, law enforcement, industrial cleaning, and now Roomba(R) Robotic FloorVac for the consumer marketplace. This year co-founders Helen Greiner and Colin Angle were named Ernst & Young regional Entrepreneurs of the Year for their innovative work in technology. For additional information about iRobot, visit www.irobot.com.