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iRobot Launches a20 in 20a STEM Education Initiative

^{Published on 2010-09-09 08:21:28 - Market Wire}
 

BEDFORD, Mass.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), a leader in delivering robotic technology-based solutions, today announced that it will launch a new campaign this fall called a20 in 20.a As part of iRobota™s 20-year anniversary in 2010, the program features a team of robot experts who will travel across the Commonwealth over a 20-week period to give hands-on demonstrations about robotic technology to K-12 students at 20 schools. The goal of the program is to help excite young students about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects through robotics and inspire them to pursue STEM-related careers.

"We are excited to kick off our 20 in 20 initiative as part of iRobota™s 20-year anniversary celebration"

aWe are excited to kick off our 20 in 20 initiative as part of iRobota™s 20-year anniversary celebration,a said Colin Angle, chairman and chief executive officer of iRobot. aTo ensure that America remains competitive in both math and science on the global stage, we need to reach our students early on by putting the technology in their hands so they can experience it firsthand. Our objective is to ensure that every student we encounter understands the considerable possibilities of robotics and careers in emerging STEM fields.a

iRobota™s a20 in 20a program is comprised of a team of two SPARK (Starter Programs for the Advancement of Robotics Knowledge) ambassadors who will travel across the state throughout the fall to deliver demonstrations and presentations on robotic technology to classrooms of students K-12. The team will document their experiences by posting videos and photos, tracking overall progress on a virtual map and sharing key insights through an interactive blog: [ http://spark.irobot.com/20in20 ].

Kicking off with the first school visit on September 20 in Lowell, confirmed schools for a20 in 20a include:

• Sarah Greenwood School, Boston
• John D. Oa™Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, Boston
• Madison Park High School, Boston
• Orchard Gardens Middle School, Boston
• H.J. Robinson Middle School, Lowell
• Nashoba Valley Technical High School, Westford
• Ahern Middle School, Foxborough
• Whelan Elementary School, Revere
• Garfield Middle School, Revere
• Bedford High School, Bedford
• Salemwood School, Malden
• Egremont Elementary School, Pittsfield
• Stem Middle Academy, Springfield
• High School of Science and Technology, Springfield
• Letourneau Elementary School, Fall River
• Abigail Adams Middle School, Weymouth
• Keith Middle School, New Bedford
• Douglas High School, Douglas
• Intermediate Elementary School, Douglas
• Worcester Public Schools

a20 in 20a is a component of iRobota™s SPARK initiative, which is dedicated to fostering elementary, middle, high school and college studentsa™ interest in STEM subjects. Through programs like a20 in 20,a SPARK is committed to making STEM subjects more accessible to students and helping teachers as they work to ensure that our countrya™s future is strongly rooted in math and science.

aWe are excited to be part of iRobota™s STEM initiative this fall,a said Dr. Carol R. Johnson, superintendent of the Boston Public Schools. aIt helps us take our classroom learning to the next level by showing students what can be possible when they think creatively about solving problems. Learning about the career possibilities in science, technology, engineering and math is invaluable for the students in Boston as well as across the Commonwealth.a

To learn more about the program, view video and photos from the school visits, or track the robot teama™s progress, please visit: [ http://spark.irobot.com/20in20 ].

For more information about iRobot SPARK, see [ http://spark.irobot.com/ ].

About iRobot Corp.

iRobot designs and builds robots that make a difference. The companya™s home robots help people find smarter ways to clean, and its government and industrial robots protect those in harma™s way. iRobota™s consumer and military robots feature iRobot Aware® robot intelligence systems, proprietary technology incorporating advanced concepts in navigation, mobility, manipulation and artificial intelligence. For more information about iRobot, please visit [ www.irobot.com ].