iRobot to Acquire Nekton Research, LLC

As a follow-up to its earlier announcement of a agreement with University of Washington to commercialize the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Seaglider technology, iRobot has agreed to acquire Nekton Research a developer of unmanned underwater vehicles. With the second announcement, iRobot makes clear its strategic push into maritime systems. iRobot Corp. (Nasdaq: IRBT) announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Nekton Research, LLC, an unmanned underwater robot and technology company based in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. The transaction is expected to close by September 12, 2008. Nekton has been instrumental in shaping the underwater marketplace during the past 6 years by supporting customers such as the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Naval Undersea Warfare Command (NUWC), the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and the U.S.… View this post