iRobot, the Bedford, Mass.-based creators of the Roomba automated vacuum, has received regulatory approval to build and sell robotic lawnmowers, Reuters reports.
IRobot required permission from the Federal Communications Commission because there were concerns the device may interfere with other wireless technology. Generally, the FCC doesn’t allow unlicensed “fixed outdoor infrastructure” that uses low-power radio signals, but iRobot received an exemption.
Still, at least one group may not receive the news well: Astronomers. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory fought against iRobot’s approval because they fear the devices will disrupt radio-based telescopes. The FCC, however, dismissed those concerns.
