Branded is a weekly column devoted to the intersection of marketing, business, design, and culture. Just a few years ago, iRobot, best known as the maker of the Roomba, was riding high, with ...

The big picture: iRobot, best known for its Roomba brand of robotic vacuum cleaners and floor mops, was a pioneer in the early days of home autonomy. For a while, the Roomba name itself became ...