Texas Instruments and iRobot team up to shape future robotic innovation

DALLAS, March 12, 2012  -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) and iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), a leader in robotic technology-based solutions, today announced a partnership to develop robotic technologies using TI's smart multicore OMAP™ platform. The relationship stems from the companies' shared vision to create intelligent and practical robots capable of enhancing people's lives. The two companies will achieve this vision by leveraging iRobot's long history in advancing the field of robotics and TI's strength in applications processors and related technologies.

With two decades of leadership in the robot industry, iRobot is a proven technology leader in remote presence and automated home maintenance solutions.  To date, iRobot has sold more than 7.5 million home robots worldwide, revolutionizing the way people clean both inside and outside the home.  More than 4,500 combat-proven government and industrial robots have been delivered to military and civil defense forces worldwide, performing thousands of dangerous search, reconnaissance and bomb-disposal missions while protecting those in harm's way. 

TI brings to the partnership the industry's leading applications processor technology captured in the OMAP™ platform—a high performing, ultra-power-efficient system-on-chip that's smaller than a dime. The OMAP platform's smart multicore architecture sends processing tasks to cores and engines that can best do the job using the least amount of power possible. TI complements this fundamental computing experience with several unique features, such as sophisticated image and video accelerators.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 90,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun.  Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities.  This is just the beginning of our story.  Learn more at www.ti.com.

About iRobot Corp.

iRobot designs and builds robots that make a difference. The company's home robots help people with smarter ways to clean, and its government and industrial robots protect those in harm's way. iRobot'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.