03
sketches
03
sketches
iRobot burro is a drain and pipe cleaning solution. First of its kind it cleans the entire pipeline by itself without any heavy coils or excess human power. It is designed to enter different pipe sizes and move in any direction. burro will help iRobot tap a new market segment and induce growth.
Through the process of research and design create a product that results in 20% growth of the chosen company.
Project Brief
Through market opportunity identification, market research, business model generation, and iterative concept development present fully realized growth design solutions. Develop a design-driven concept that could add a 20% growth in a new business category.
Time Period: 10 Weeks
Company
The company my team, Indrashish Dutta Roy and I chose was iRobot. We found that it is a relatively new company and has a lot of potential to tap new market segments and grow.
My Role
Research
Ideation
CAD
Renderings
Process Book
Process
1
Research
Understanding iRobot and their business model.
2
Research
Identifying and researching potential opportunities to diversify.
3
Final Opportunity
Narrowing down to one opportunity area: Drain and pipe cleaning market.
4
Idea Development
Designing the final concept for the chosen opportunity area.
Click here to view the detailed process book
Who is iRobot ?
"Your Helping Hand"
We are a leading global consumer robot company, we design and build robots that empower people to do more both inside and outside of their homes.
We are committed to fostering invention, discovery and technological exploration in the pursuit of practical and valuable robot products for the home. iRobot is at the forefront of developing technologies in the areas of mapping and navigation, human-robot interaction, and physical solutions.
Initial Research
History
Products and Services
Competitors
Consumers
Product Line
Intellectual Property
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iRobot sells in over 50 countries and has sold more than 30 million consumer robots.
Identifying Opportunity Areas
Disinfection
The idea stems from the current pandemic which is going on. iRobot's technology can assist in disinfection of public and private spaces.
Leak Detection
Everyday 20% of the clean water produced us lost due to pipe leak.Every year there are about 240,000 water pipe break in just the US itself and many of them cause sinkholes and other severe damages. iRobot has already developed an incredible detection technology which can be used.
Personalized Cleaning
We live in a dynamic and constantly changing age. There are almost 13 variations of apartment types, with every room requiring a different type of cleaning. Using iRobot's technology we can take their ' Helping Hand' brand Essence to the next level.
Existing technologies arent efficient enough. The global industrial cleaning market size is projected to reach USD 58.2 billion by 2024.
Industrial Cleaning
Chosen Opportunity
Reasons to shift to a new market?
Rising competition in the consumer robotics market.
Counterfeit Products
Too much money is being spent to protect IP
Tough to maintain low price after R&D in consumer robotics
Diversify and capture a new market.
Drain and Pipe Cleaning
Drain and Pipeline systems have become severly complex over the years, however the cleaning methods are still the orthodox methods used from 1980 onwards. Hence a modern smart solution to industrial pipeline cleaning would be a novel innovation. Drains and pipes are a big maze and inaccessible by humans due to their small size, a automated robotic solution would be highly efficient in this field.
Drain and Pipe Cleaning was chosen as the final opportunity area.
Form, Function and Inspiration
Tasks The Robot Has To Perform
ABOUT US
Clean heavy or soft gunk
Travel in different pipe orientations
Relatively tight spaces but also large spaces
Travel through different terrains
Biomimicry
More efficient
Sustainable
Resilient
Adaptablility
Soft Robotics
Allow travels through tight spaces and nooks
Flexebility
More responsive
Adaptability
Components
Sensor
Power source
Motors
Bearings and Gears
Cleaning Part
PCB and Wiring
Housing
Ideation and Design Development
Ideation 1
Ideation 2
Ideation 3
Final Concept
Reflection and Next Steps
This Project helped me get an in-depth understanding of the business side of design by encouraging me to think about a new market segment and how it would affect Irobot's business. Over the course of 10 weeks, I was able to enhance my research skills, design thinking, ideation, and CAD skills. I was also able to improve my speaking and presentation skills as I presented my final concept to a panel which consisted of industry leaders ranging from entrepreneurs to designers. As the next step for this project, my partner and I would like to collaborate with a development team and create a prototype. We would also look into IP and existing patents so that we can develop a robot that is one of its kind.
Click here to view the detailed process book
Semi Autonomous deployable Drain Cleaner
First of its kind portable, compact drain cleaner, which cleans an entire piple by itself. No need of heavy coils of wires and 1000 different set up parts, Burro helps you do it all.
Harmless, seamless and efficient travel
The tail is made of silicone which lets it travel through water in the pipeline without damaging the pipe or blocking the system.
Dry vertical drains? Not a problem
Wheels on the side deploy to enable the bot to travel vertically in a dry drain. burro it equipped to travel in multi scenario drains and pipes.
Designed to tackle heavy clogs which need an extra push
Mounts on the side of the device which are automatically deployed to steady burro when it senses a heavy clog in the drain
Maps and Communicates every detail
burro maps your entire pipeline system and relays information on the details of it. It communicates with you so you don't have to manually operate it though a labrynth.
7.5 inches
3.5 inches
State Of The Art Technology
All the components in burro are designed by industry leaders to maximize efficiency to provide you modern drain cleaning technology.
The Burro kit
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burro
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charging Adapter
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cleaning brushes
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burro drill bits
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disassembly kit for maintenance