#Japan #Tokyo #Roomba #Nursery School #iRobot Japan

iRobot's Roomba Empowers Year-End Cleaning at Nursery

iRobot Japan, led by CEO Takeshi Yamada, has launched its third edition of the "Roomba's Help Big Cleanup Project" on December 18, 2023, at the certified nursery school Bunkakyoyogakuen in Koto, Tokyo. This marks the first time that the Roomba has assisted in cleaning a nursery facility. The day began with an engaging lesson titled "Enjoying Cleanup with Robots" held by Mr. Yamada for the children present, and culminated in a collaborative year-end cleanup.

The initiative is rooted in iRobot's global slogan, "Live More Life as You," encouraging users to delegate their cleaning tasks to Roomba, thus freeing up more time for personal pursuits. The project started two years ago during the busy end-of-year period to lessen the cleaning burden. The inaugural event took place at Kanda Myojin, where Roomba aided in traditional soot removal, generating substantial buzz on social media. The second edition occurred at the Sakura-yu bathhouse in Sumida, where Roomba and iRobot employees volunteered to assist in interior cleaning.

This year’s project at Bunkakyoyogakuen, celebrating its 73rd anniversary, sought not only to alleviate the cleaning workload on staff but also to create a fun cleaning experience for the children, helping them appreciate the joy of cleanliness. iRobot reached out to several nursery facilities in Tokyo, and Bunkakyoyogakuen was chosen for its alignment with the project's mission.

On the day of the event, 23 preschoolers aged 4 to 5 participated enthusiastically. The introduction featured opening remarks by Principal Nogami of Bunkakyoyogakuen and Mr. Yamada. Principal Nogami expressed excitement about involving the children in cleaning alongside a robot vacuum, while Mr. Yamada emphasized the importance of making Japan's unique year-end cleaning tradition enjoyable and easy with Roomba.

Following the opening, Mr. Yamada presented the cleaning lesson, explaining concepts such as "What is a robot?" and "How does robot cleaning work?" in a child-friendly manner. Children eagerly responded to Mr. Yamada's question about what features they would want in a helpful cleaning robot, offering imaginative ideas like one with rollers that clean automatically and another with multiple hands for garbage disposal.

In the latter part of the event, the children joined the cleanup effort in their classrooms alongside Roomba. With the assistance of iRobot employees, who dusted high shelves, Roomba worked diligently to vacuum floors and perform wet cleaning in key dirty areas, ensuring thorough cleanliness. Meanwhile, children and teachers tackled the classroom's shelves, walls, and toys with cloths, showcasing the teamwork spirit as they eagerly participated in the cleaning.

Once the cleanup concluded, a commemorative photo session included Roomba, capturing the joyous moment. Feedback from children was overwhelmingly positive, with comments such as, "Cleaning with Roomba was fun and made me sweat!" and, "It felt cool to have Roomba play around with us while cleaning."

iRobot Japan aims to continue this project as a yearly tradition, hoping to alleviate some of the burdens during the busy year-end season through the capabilities of Roomba. The company remains committed to its mission, encapsulated in the mantra "Empower people to do more," by enhancing lives with innovative products and services that resonate with its global audience.

About iRobot Corporation

iRobot, a global leader in home robotics, is dedicated to creating a world where people can enjoy more fulfilling lives through thoughtful technologies and home innovations. Since the launch of the Roomba® robot vacuum in 2002, it has sold millions worldwide, revolutionizing the cleaning industry. iRobot's product portfolio features advanced technologies in cleaning, mapping, and navigation, helping create a seamless ecosystem of robots and smart home devices for healthier living environments. For more information, visit www.irobot.com.

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