Vacuum robot maker iRobot filed for bankruptcy and will be acquired by Chinese supplier Picea Robotics, ending its independent operations. Roomba users fear “bricking” — the risk their smart vacuums will stop working without software updates after the Chinese acquisition takes effect.

The bankruptcy announcement comes after cash struggles and a failed acquisition by Amazon.

The original Roomba was the first robot vacuum in the US, and the second ever made, following Electrolux’s Trilobite the year prior. A basic bump-and-roll bot with bump and cliff sensors, the Roomba rolled randomly around your home, sucking up dirt, bumping from wall to wall, and generally trying not to fall down stairs.

The goal is to get the robots working with actual humans in areas such as manufacturing, facility operations and health care.

In last month’s corporate filings, iRobot warned it could file for bankruptcy. The company owes nearly $100 million to Shenzhen Picea Robotics, $2.7 million to BYD, a Chinese electric vehicle company, and $3.4 to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in unpaid tariffs.

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