Robot, the creator of the Roomba and the company that popularized robot vacuums in the first place, told investors on Wednesday that it has "substantial doubt about [its] ability to continue." Beyond declining sales — the company reported that revenue decreased 47 percent in the US over the prior year in its fourth quarter earnings — iRobot is also struggling to pay off its debts.

The company is reporting major financial problems and an uncertain future. How did things get this bad for the former robot vacuum leader? And will your Roombas continue to function?

Roombas have always been a staple in the robot vacuum market because iRobot is often the first brand to bring innovative new robot vacuum features to the mainstream. Everyone was wowed by a robot vacuum that could remember a map of your home or empty itself with the i7+ in 2018, or a robot vacuum that could avoid phone chargers with the j7 in 2021.