Helen Greiner
Encyclopedia
Helen Greiner is the co-founder of iRobot
and currently CEO of CyPhyWorks.
and a master's degree in computer science
, both from MIT. She also holds an honorary doctor of engineering degree from WPI.
Helen Greiner co-founded iRobot
, a consumer robotics
company headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts
. Under her leadership, iRobot delivered robots into the industrial, consumer and military markets. She was one of the three people to design the first version of the iRobot Roomba
. She has worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
and the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Helen is a Trustee of the Museum of Science (Boston), on the Computer Science Advisory Board of Worcester Polytechnic Institute; and is a Director of National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA).
On October 22, 2008 Helen announced her resignation as Chairman of the Board of iRobot. She was replaced by her fellow co-founder and CEO Colin Angle, who announced: “Helen will continue to serve on iRobot’s board of directors as a non-employee director while pursuing other interests and opportunities within the robot industry.” She is currently the CEO of CyPhyWorks.
In 2011, she was listed at #7 on the MIT150
list of the top 150 innovators and ideas from MIT.
).
In 2005 she was awarded "Entrepreneur of the year" by Good Housekeeping
.
In 2006, she received the Pioneer Award from the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International(AUVSI).
She received the 2008 Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Award
for Innovation for her work at iRobot.
She has also been honored as one of Technology Review
Magazine's TR100
"Innovators for the Next Century."
She has been awarded the DEMO God Award at the DEMO Conference
.
She was named by the Kennedy School at Harvard in conjunction with the U.S. News and World Report as one of America's Best Leaders.
She has also been invited to the World Economic Forum
as a Global Leader of Tomorrow.
IRobot
iRobot Corporation is an American advanced technology company founded in 1990 and incorporated in Delaware in 2000, the iRobot Corporation designs robots such as an autonomous home vacuum cleaner , the Scooba that scrubs and cleans hard floors, and military and police robots, such as the PackBot...
and currently CEO of CyPhyWorks.
Career
Helen Greiner holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineeringMechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
and a master's degree in computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, both from MIT. She also holds an honorary doctor of engineering degree from WPI.
Helen Greiner co-founded iRobot
IRobot
iRobot Corporation is an American advanced technology company founded in 1990 and incorporated in Delaware in 2000, the iRobot Corporation designs robots such as an autonomous home vacuum cleaner , the Scooba that scrubs and cleans hard floors, and military and police robots, such as the PackBot...
, a consumer robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
company headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. Under her leadership, iRobot delivered robots into the industrial, consumer and military markets. She was one of the three people to design the first version of the iRobot Roomba
Roomba
The Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners sold by iRobot. Under normal operating conditions, it is able to navigate a living space and common obstacles while vacuuming the floor...
. She has worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...
and the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Helen is a Trustee of the Museum of Science (Boston), on the Computer Science Advisory Board of Worcester Polytechnic Institute; and is a Director of National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA).
On October 22, 2008 Helen announced her resignation as Chairman of the Board of iRobot. She was replaced by her fellow co-founder and CEO Colin Angle, who announced: “Helen will continue to serve on iRobot’s board of directors as a non-employee director while pursuing other interests and opportunities within the robot industry.” She is currently the CEO of CyPhyWorks.
In 2011, she was listed at #7 on the MIT150
MIT150
The MIT150 is a list published by the Boston Globe, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2011, listing 150 of the most significant innovators, inventions or ideas from MIT, its alumni, faculty, and related people and organizations in the 150 year...
list of the top 150 innovators and ideas from MIT.
Awards and Recognition
In 2003 Greiner was named one of the Ernst and Young New England Entrepreneurs of the Year for 2003 (with iRobot co-founder Colin AngleColin Angle
Colin Angle is co-founder, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of iRobot Corporation, maker of the Roomba vacuum cleaning robot and the PackBot military robot. He holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and a Master of Science in computer science from the Massachusetts...
).
In 2005 she was awarded "Entrepreneur of the year" by Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
.
In 2006, she received the Pioneer Award from the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International(AUVSI).
She received the 2008 Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Award
Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Awards
The Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Awards honor exceptional technical women. Three awards are presented by the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology each year, recognizing women in the categories of Innovation, Leadership, and Social Impact.-Awards:...
for Innovation for her work at iRobot.
She has also been honored as one of Technology Review
Technology Review
Technology Review is a magazine published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It was founded in 1899 as "The Technology Review", and was re-launched without the "The" in its name on April 23, 1998 under then publisher R. Bruce Journey...
Magazine's TR100
TR35
The TR35 is an annual list published by MIT Technology Review magazine, naming the world's top 35 innovators under the age of 35.Some of the most famous winners of the award include Larry Page and Sergey Brin , Linus Torvalds , Jerry Yang , Jonathan Ive , Mark Zuckerberg...
"Innovators for the Next Century."
She has been awarded the DEMO God Award at the DEMO Conference
DEMO conference
The DEMO conference is a technology conference that focuses on showcasing new products from both entrepreneurs and established companies. It is held by IDG....
.
She was named by the Kennedy School at Harvard in conjunction with the U.S. News and World Report as one of America's Best Leaders.
She has also been invited to the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
as a Global Leader of Tomorrow.