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iRobot Unveils Roomba® Duo at IFA 2026, Proving the Future of Floor Care Has a Familiar Name

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Combining a heavy-duty floor-washer main unit with an ultra-slim sub-unit, iRobot introduces an unique robot architecture, powered by a mechanical deployment arm and a unified self-navigating base station.

BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — iRobot Corp., a leader in consumer robotics and intelligent floor care, today unveiled the Roomba® Duo, iRobot’s first dual-unit robot vacuum and mop, at IFA 2026. Introducing a breakthrough approach to intelligent floor cleaning, the new system addresses a long-standing trade-off in robotic floor care: wet-dry vacuums delivered powerful cleaning but lacked autonomous navigation, while robot vacuums offered hands-free convenience without the raw cleaning power of a wet-dry vacuum. The Roomba® Duo pairs an advanced main robot that vacuums and steam-mops with an ultra-compact companion robot. The pair use a shared home map and an autonomous mobile dock, working together as one intelligent system to deliver seamless, comprehensive cleaning throughout the home.

Unlock Next-Generation Floor Care with Dual-Unit Architecture
At the heart of the concept is a capability that no other consumer robot vacuum offers: one robot that carries and deploys a secondary unit. The main robot features a top-mounted mechanical arm whose end remains level as the arm moves, providing the stability needed to carry the additional weight. It can then safely lower and release an ultra-compact companion robot into tight spaces the main unit is unable to reach.

Connected through the Roomba® Home App on a shared home map, the two robots communicate in real time, leveraging AI to coordinate their cleaning tasks: the main unit thoroughly vacuums and mops large, open floor areas, while its ultra-slim companion reaches beneath furniture, into narrow spaces and other spots conventional robot vacuums often miss. By dividing the workload between two specialized robots, the system expands cleaning coverage within the same cleaning mission, bringing a new level of intelligence to home cleaning.

Deep-Clean Wet and Dry Messes, Without Hand Scrubbing
The main unit moves beyond the physical constraints of conventional robot vacuums. Its distinctive cylindrical body maximizes internal space, allowing it to house a wet-and-dry floor-washing module, a high-performance motor, and a high-capacity battery, bringing true floor-washing capability to robotic floor care.

Its industry-leading 60mm-diameter PowerSpin™ Max Roller Mop applies 46N (around 4.7kg) of downward pressure, scrubbing the floor as thoroughly as cleaning by hand. For dry debris, it delivers exceptional suction power to effortlessly lift pet hair, food crumbs and everyday debris.

As a pre-treatment, an internal heater generates controlled steam that is evenly distributed across targeted areas to help loosen tough, dried-on grime without exposing the floor to excessive heat. A continuously self-cleaning roller then washes away loosened dirt and sticky spills, from pasta sauce to cooking grease. A hot-air drying component behind the roller dries the wet surface to help protect wooden floors from prolonged moisture.

Whether it’s for busy families with toddlers or pets who spend more time close to the floor, this deeper washing capability extends automated floor care beyond what standard robot vacuums can achieve.

Slip Under Low Furniture, Clean Tight Corners
The companion robot, demonstrated live at the IFA booth, uses the company’s Roomba® Plus 575 Combo Robot which launched earlier in 2026. It reaches the corners and edges, exactly where pet hair and debris collect. Measuring just 8.35 cm tall and 29.8 cm wide, the companion robot glides between dining chairs and cleans beneath low beds, sofas and TV cabinets, capturing dust in spaces most robot vacuums cannot enter.

The companion robot’s PerfectEdge® mop pad extends by up to 31mm outward, along with extended edge sweeping side brush, cleaning automatically into corners, along walls and baseboards, even around irregular edges, to remove pet hair, dust and crumbs. With air-lift omni-wheels, it climbs thresholds up to 3.5 cm and continues cleaning in multiple rooms without getting stuck.

Navigate and Maintain with Greater Autonomy
The Roomba® Duo is designed to understand the home, navigate everyday obstacles and reduce routine maintenance through a unified system. Both units are equipped with ClearView™ Pro dual-line LiDAR and PrecisionVision™ AI to detect and move around common household objects. On top of this, the main unit features top-mounted AI cameras to capture a wider, elevated view of rooms, furniture and floor layouts. This helps the Roomba® Duo build more detailed maps across large, multi-room homes and identify larger stains or areas of debris build-up for targeted deep cleaning.

Moreover, large 17cm wheels powered by hub motors give the main robot greater stability as it moves between spaces. The shared AutoWash™ dock handles autonomous maintenance in one place. It features a centralized clean-water supply and wastewater tank, automatically washes and dries the mops, and empties collected dust into a large bag for months of hands-off use.

“The Roomba® Duo represents a real leap forward in how we’re reimagining home robotics,” said Hao Li, CEO at iRobot, “Every breakthrough starts with someone willing to imagine what others can’t—to challenge what’s expected, and to build what doesn’t yet exist. That conviction led us somewhere completely new. Instead of asking one robot to do everything, we’ve built specialized robots that work together as a single intelligent system—because that’s what it takes to truly transform life at home. It’s the foundation for our vision of a fully autonomous home that takes care of itself, so you don’t have to.”

Media Availability at IFA 2026
iRobot showcases the Roomba® Duo prototype at Booth 133, Hall 9, Messe Berlin, Germany from September 4–8, 2026. Media, influencers, and industry partners are invited to attend live demonstrations and learn more about the company’s latest innovations, from the recently launched 2026 flagship Roomba® Max 875 Combo to the high-performance Roomba® Plus 675 Combo and the compact, AI-powered Roomba® Plus 575 Combo.

About iRobot Corp.
iRobot is a global consumer robot company that designs and builds thoughtful robots and intelligent home innovations that make life better. iRobot introduced the first Roomba robot vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that ranks No.1 in cumulative global robot vacuum sales*. iRobot’s product portfolio features technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping, and navigation. Working from this portfolio, iRobot engineers are building robots and smart home devices to help consumers make their homes easier to maintain and healthier places to live. Roomba. The Original. Trusted by over 50 million homes. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.

* Source: iRobot ranks #1 in cumulative global sales of household and similar-use cleaning robots (2016-2025), based on Frost & Sullivan’s market position statement

 

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SOURCE iRobot

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Rho Launches Card Payments on Invoices, Letting Businesses Accept Credit Card, Debit Card, and Google Pay

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Rho Invoicing customers can now accept credit card payments on invoices alongside ACH and wire, from the same account they already use for banking, with invoices syncing automatically to QuickBooks Online

NEW YORK, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rho, the all-in-one finance platform for businesses, today announced that Rho Invoicing customers can now accept credit and debit card payments, including Google Pay, directly on their invoices. The feature is rolling out to eligible Rho Invoicing customers and adds to the existing ACH, domestic wire, and international wire options already available on Rho invoices. No separate merchant account, no new dashboard, and no waiting on a wire.

Here is how it works for the payer: your client opens the invoice, enters their card information, and pays in a few clicks. Card payments carry a processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction, paid by the business issuing the invoice and deducted from the payment before depositing into your account. Inbound ACH and wire stay free, and the payer never sees a surcharge at checkout. Card payments cover USD-denominated invoices and have a default daily limit of $10,000 across all of a business’s invoices, which can be raised on request.

An invoice is marked paid once the payout is initiated, and funds follow on card-network timelines rather than instantly. A business’s first card payment can take up to two weeks to deposit while Stripe, which powers Rho’s card payment features, completes its initial review.

Rho Invoicing remains free for all Rho customers, aside from card processing fees, and supports up to 100 line items per invoice with per-line sales tax, recurring billing, payment matching, and a fully white-labeled template that carries the business’s brand rather than Rho’s, with virtual account numbers that keep the business’s actual bank details private. Rho invoices sync into QuickBooks Online as accounts receivable through Rho’s direct integration, so AR aging stays accurate without duplicate entry.

Card payments run through the same Rho account a business already uses for banking, corporate cards, and bill pay. No merchant account. No second dashboard. No new password to add to a growing list. Getting paid should not add another tool to the financial stack.

Availability is limited to eligible Rho Invoicing customers for USD-denominated invoices. Access to and enablement of card payment functionality requires completion of Stripe’s verification process and is subject to third-party underwriting and approval, which is not guaranteed.

To learn more, read how to accept credit card payments with Rho Invoicing.

About Rho

Rho is the modern banking platform built for the AI era. Startups and growth-stage companies can open accounts in minutes, issue cards, manage expenses, pay bills, and close the books – all in one connected platform backed by real human support.

Rho is a fintech company, not a bank or an FDIC-insured depository institution. Checking account and card services provided by Webster Bank, a division of Santander Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

Card payment features on Rho Invoicing, including credit card, debit card, and Google Pay options, are powered by Stripe, Inc. This content is for informational purposes only. It doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of Rho and should not be construed as legal, tax, benefits, financial, accounting, or other advice. If you need specific advice for your business, please consult with an expert, as rules and regulations change regularly.

Media Contact:
Justin Wolz
justin.wolz@rho.co
(919) 306-7084

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SOURCE Rho

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Amwell Receives Frost & Sullivan’s 2026 United States Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition for Technology-Enabled Care Platforms

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Amwell® is transforming virtual care delivery through its unified Amwell Platform, combining interoperability, clinical integration, and intelligent orchestration to improve access, efficiency, and outcomes.

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 4, 2026 /CNW/ — As healthcare organizations move beyond fragmented telehealth solutions toward connected virtual care models, Amwell is helping redefine how digital care is delivered at scale. Frost & Sullivan is pleased to recognize Amwell with the 2026 United States Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition in the Technology-Enabled Care Platforms industry for its ability to address healthcare fragmentation through a unified platform that connects patients, health plan members, clinicians, and partner ecosystems across the care continuum.

Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Amwell excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to align strategic initiatives with evolving healthcare needs while executing with flexibility, scalability, and measurable customer impact. “The combination of reliability, flexibility, and clinically integrated workflows positions the Amwell Platform as a strategic enabler for organizations seeking to reduce fragmentation, improve member engagement with covered programs, expand access to care, and create more connected healthcare experiences,” said Sagar Mukhekar, Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan.

Guided by a strategy centered on connected care, interoperability, and continuous, digital innovation, Amwell has positioned the Amwell Platform as an operating layer for next-generation healthcare delivery. Rather than relying on disconnected point solutions, the platform integrates technology, services, and clinical intelligence to orchestrate personalized care experiences across virtual primary care, urgent care, behavioral health, chronic condition management, and specialized digital programs.

Backed by 20 years of technology-enabled care innovation, more than 90 million covered lives, and over 38.7 million virtual visits, Amwell continues to help health plans and healthcare organizations modernize digital care delivery at scale.

“As healthcare becomes more digital, it risks becoming more fragmented. Health plans need more than point solutions. They need enterprise infrastructure, clinical integration, and an open platform that brings partners and programs together. Our vision at Amwell is that technology creates value when it improves access, engagement, quality, and efficiency, and produces measurable clinical and business outcomes. We’re honored by this recognition from Frost & Sullivan,” said Dan Zamansky, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Amwell.

Amwell’s enterprise scale includes supporting the digital transformation of the Defense Health Agency’s Military Health System, serving approximately 9.6 million beneficiaries. The company’s commitment to measurable outcomes is also reflected in a landmark National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded study, published in Nature Human Behaviour and among the largest studies of its kind. The study found that students offered SilverCloud® by Amwell® engaged in mental healthcare at more than double the rate of traditional care, experienced lower rates of mental health disorders, and generated an estimated $1.18 million in avoided costs for the study population.

The company further differentiates its platform through intelligent orchestration and navigation, helping guide members to appropriate programs while giving clinicians visibility across care plans. Amwell also evaluates integrated third-party programs for clinical effectiveness, scalability, and enterprise readiness.

Frost & Sullivan commends Amwell for setting a high standard in competitive strategy, execution, and technological innovation. The company’s unified approach to digital care is helping reduce fragmentation, improve access, strengthen operational efficiency, and support more equitable and sustainable healthcare delivery.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition to a company that demonstrates outstanding strategy development and implementation, resulting in measurable improvements in market share, customer satisfaction, and competitive positioning. The recognition identifies forward-thinking organizations that are reshaping their industries through innovation and growth excellence.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition

Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.
Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:
Ashley Shreve
E: ashley.weinkauf@frost.com 

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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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Midea Brings “Simply ideal” to Life at IFA 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At IFA 2026, Midea brings its “Simply ideal” vision to life through the latest innovations, designed to bring greater intelligence, comfort, efficiency and ease to the home.

The exhibition also highlights Midea’s new five-year partnership with FC Barcelona.

The Midea Suites: Ways to Master the Home

The new SMART MASTER showcases Midea’s AI-powered home ecosystem. The AI Agent enables more natural, intuitive interaction with appliances across daily household scenarios. Midea Robot brings AI into the physical world through cooking, cleaning, laundry, care and whole-home control.

At IFA 2026, Midea unveiled its new AI voice-controlled air conditioner. Cliff Liang, General Manager of Enterprise Commercial for the China Region at Microsoft, joined the Midea event and shared Microsoft’s perspective on the next phase of AI.

AI ECOMASTER coordinates appliances and connected systems through intelligent power management. It learns household routines and adapts to changing needs for greater flexibility and comfort.

For homes where every inch counts, SPACE MASTER delivers more usable capacity within the same external dimensions, as demonstrated by the refrigerator’s expanded storage.

Alongside the MASTER Suites, the BUILT-IN Series includes the Milanese-inspired Ispira Series, combining cohesive design with intelligent functionality for an integrated cooking experience.

The Midea Scenarios: Innovation for Everyday Living

Comfort begins with the air around us. Midea’s R290 Series responds to growing demand for efficient cooling. It combines advanced compressor and safety-sealing technologies with ultra-low-GWP R290 refrigerant, delivering around 10% higher energy efficiency. Residential applications include H-Pack and PortaSplit, with PortaSplit set to adopt R290 in 2027.

In the kitchen, technology simplifies daily routines, from food storage and cooking to after-meal care. The Visionary Series refrigerators make food easier to see and access through GlassVision, hands-free lighting and clear, even illumination.

The InfiniteFit Series hobs feature an ultra-slim design for seamless integration into European kitchens, while OmniFlex enables flexible cookware placement. The PizzaPro built-in oven combines rapid heating with an 81L cavity, balancing speed with capacity.

After the meal, the Tri-GreenApex System brings washing, drying and storage together while using around 50% less energy than required for Europe’s highest A rating.

Laundry brings its own everyday needs. Midea’s family laundry room concept combines multi-drum solutions for different garment-care needs, allowing separate loads to run at the same time. The OMNI SERIES offers flexible combinations to suit different household routines.

Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, introduced Matter at Midea’s booth, highlighting its open, secure, interoperable framework and Midea’s role in advancing smart appliance connectivity.

Partnership and Brand Portfolio

At IFA 2026, Midea celebrated its partnership through an immersive FC Barcelona experience at its booth. FC Barcelona legend Carles Puyol made a special appearance, sharing insights from his career on leadership, teamwork and the pursuit of excellence. His presence reflected Midea and FC Barcelona’s shared commitment to world-class performance.

As part of Midea Group’s multi-brand portfolio, TEKA presents its latest innovations under the “Meaningful Experiences Through Technology” concept, including its new coffee machine range, the In-Line Series and Laundry Care solutions, bringing European design and functionality to modern living.

About Midea and Midea Group

Midea is one of over 10 brands within the Smart Home Business of Midea Group.

Founded in 1968, Midea Group is a leading global technology company and one of the world’s largest home appliance manufacturers. As a Fortune Global 500 enterprise, it ranked No. 231 in 2026. The Group has streamlined its core operations into seven high-growth business pillars to drive future growth: Smart Home, Industrial Technologies, Building Technologies, KUKA, New Energy, Midea Healthcare, and ANNTO Logistics.

www.midea-group.com

www.midea.com

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SOURCE Midea Group

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