Dyson have been inventing one for years though. I recall reading something about a Dyson robotic vac in 2005.
iRobot has the lock on the market for vacuum robotics in the USA and its gotten better since October 2002 when it first launched. Originally in the bomb robotics, and still, they got the bright idea of adapting to home/household use for vacuuming. It was a winner. In 2005, iRobotics, a private company that had lost money for 14 straight years, after making profits with the robotic vacuum sales went public. The stock price despite the hard hit markets and economies has held its own through all the downs. Timing is everything.
Carmine D.