IRobot Corp., best known for making Roomba automated vacuum cleaners, has introduced a new operating system that it says enhances the ability of robots aimed at the military to think for themselves when navigating terrain tougher than the living-room rug.

The Bedford, Mass., company is best known for its consumer cleaning robots, but also supplies bomb-disposal and reconnaissance robots for the military, first responders and police forces, all of which need a human controller.

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