Aqua Products came to Bresslergroup with a significant challenge: Design and engineer a new robotic pool cleaner with improved performance and significant new features that’s ready to release for tooling in less than six months.  The time pressure of a looming selling season drove an accelerated schedule, and we delivered the desired product in half the time.  Competitive and user research immediately revealed areas for improvement, including a messy, cumbersome filtering and disposal process. The bot also had a tendency to repeat paths without cleaning the entire pool.  We designed top-loading access to the filter, a significant improvement over earlier and competitive bots which had to be turned upside down and disassembled for bag access. Now users can remove and wash the bags without having to touch the filter box. A new, self-steering mechanism empowers the bot to scrub every inch of the pool — no matter the pool’s shape — without getting stuck.  The new AquaBot is further propelled by jet power, removing the need for cords that frequently get tangled. And we boosted the filtration area by fifty percent to make the bot drain more quickly, freeing users from having to hoist a heavy, waterlogged device when they want to remove it from the pool.  In tandem with improving performance and usability, Bresslergroup looked at aesthetics and form factor.  Visually, the new bot sets the stage for a new generation. Its updated look telegraphs Aqua Products’ core message of purity and cleanliness. The new color, materials, and finishes make the unit appear lighter than previous and competitive units.  To make sure the AquaBot would be shipshape in time for selling season, Bresslergroup’s researchers, engineers, and industrial designers worked in parallel. Multiple engineers worked to develop different features at the same time. This integrated approach was key to our quick turnaround.