// 01, The Platform
iRobot Ava Mobile Robotics Platform.
iRobot Ava Mobile Robotics Platform is a breakthrough solution suitable for 3rd party development and a wide range of applications. It is capable of autonomous navigation in a complex, real world.
The Ava 500 was the deployment of that platform into a high-stakes commercial setting: an autonomous telepresence robot designed to bring remote presence into corporate, healthcare, and enterprise environments at the level of polish those buyers expect.
// 02, The Challenge
A top-tier robot can’t ship with a clunky configuration screen.
The Ava 500 from iRobot started with a text-based interface that was clunky, ugly, hard to use, and short on features. For a robotics platform priced and positioned at the top of the market, that was unacceptable.
iRobot needed a partner with the technical ability to understand and deliver the underlying robotics software, and the artistic talent to wow the clients of a top-tier robot. Configuration is the first thing a customer sees after the box is open. If that experience is rough, the rest of the product has to fight uphill to recover.
iRobot turned to Geisel Software to redesign the configuration console that lives on this highly anticipated robot.
// 03, What Geisel Built
An on-robot web application that turns setup into a status check.
On-Robot Configuration Console
Geisel designed and built an on-robot web application that simplified the configuration process and made the status of the system immediately clear to the user. All green means you’re connected to the iRobot cloud.
The interface had to be clear, concise, and fun, but in a professional way. It would typically be used by IT staff rather than end users, so it needed to conform to iRobot’s style guide while feeling comfortable to someone who configures networking equipment for a living.
Wizard-Driven Setup Flow
Through a wizard-like series of popup windows, the design achieved simplicity and familiarity for the people who use the console most. Each step in the setup sequence is self-contained, the system state is always visible, and the operator never has to wonder which configuration step comes next or whether the previous one succeeded.
The result is a setup experience that fits the platform: as engineered as the autonomous navigation that runs underneath it.
// 04, The Result
A configuration experience that matches the platform.
The console redesign aligned the first user touchpoint of the Ava 500 with the engineering caliber of the platform itself. IT staff configuring the robot encounter a polished, professional interface that conforms to iRobot’s brand standards. End-customers see a product that looks and feels finished from the moment it powers on.
For a top-tier mobile robotics platform, configuration is part of the product. Geisel made sure it was engineered that way.
The configuration experience is the first thing a buyer sees after they open the box. For a top-tier robot, it has to be as engineered as the autonomy stack underneath it. That’s what Geisel built for the Ava 500.
iRobot · Ava 500 Configuration Console
