Keepon dancing robot going commercial

The Keepon dancing robot has already managed to win the hearts of most anyone that's seen it in action, and it looks like it could soon be winning plenty more, as the bot's creators have now formed a company, dubbed BeatBots, with the intent of commercializing it. While they eventually hopes to get the cost down to a reasonable level, they'll apparently first be marketing a $30,000 Keepon Pro model to research institutes studying human-robot interaction -- and anyone else with thirty grand to burn, we suppose. Somewhat curiously, it'll be built with the help of Japan's Kokoro Company, which is better known for its slightly creepy robots like the Actroid than those of the cute and cuddly variety.

[Tomheivers @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:57PM]

Wait, what?
30k?

[Josh Ladella @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:27PM]

yeah, i was about to go buy a car, but i just found something a lot more useful

[andrea @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:37PM]

It can breed, hence is worth $30K

[Twitchy @ Oct 3rd 2008 3:53AM]

So when's the $30.00 version that plugs in to a USB slot and dances to iTunes coming? That's a version I could give a damn about.

[Mckrusher @ Oct 2nd 2008 2:58PM]

Robotic Peeps!!!

[feffrey @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:13PM]

Do not microwave these Peeps!

[Daniel Cheung @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:00PM]

Though I'm glad to see Kozima get so much publicity for his work, I am worried that his original work on autistic children will get neglected. I saw his original research quite groundbreaking because it was able to reach into a new realm of contact with low-functioning autistic children (I had the opportunity to be at one of his talks).

Hopefully he will continue his work with the children like he said he would.

[Sean @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:16PM]

Nothing like capitalizing on Internet popularity.
Seriously, $30k? I doubt it has any sophisticated robotic servos or requires a supercomputer to operate. It is just software.
Some business advice for them: You can sell 10 of these for $30k or a million of them for $150.
Your fifteen minutes are up in 5...4...3...

[aMac @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:42PM]

I think you misunderstand what Keepon was actually developed for.

[eggothewaffle @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:43PM]

Actually, software which can accurately synchronize with the often microdrifting meters and rhythms found in music is very rare to find. The simple act of making a robotic foot tap to a beat is a lot harder than it appears.

[Wwhat @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:56PM]

And a lot easier than $30K worth..

[Sean @ Oct 2nd 2008 5:28PM]

I know what it was developed for, and it had little to do with dancing. But the dancing algorithm (software) is what made it unique and popular.
Let's face it, America and especially Japan are only really interested in dancing robots.
Most people have just been waiting for a simple dancing Keepon that they could own. No need for sensors and cameras and it could plug into a USB port. My $150 is waiting. :)

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:23PM]

Keepon sounds like a permanent tampon of sorts.

[Ethan @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:32PM]

Overcoming the current barriers of hygiene and osmosis would be quite astonishing.

[Zelatio @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:27PM]

So I am trying to figure out why the are so special. Can someone explain?

[Boondocker @ Oct 2nd 2008 5:27PM]

Apparently cute=special=$30K

[einyo @ Oct 2nd 2008 3:28PM]

No reference to The Gentrys? One of the most classic songs of the rock & roll era!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktPZJxdAkus

That being said, this thing is cute as hell.

[Matt @ Oct 2nd 2008 4:26PM]

I'm a glad I bought all of those keepon domains

[CaptSaltyJack @ Oct 2nd 2008 4:32PM]

My eyes widened and a smile crept across my face as I saw the headline. Then my heart sank as I saw the $30,000 figure.

Don't toy with my emotions! ;)

[Tunneler @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:02PM]

+300

I NEEEEEEED a keepon but 30k? Fuck that.
I'd pay a grand no problem.

[maveric101 @ Oct 2nd 2008 9:08PM]

i know! these things make me so happy. hopefully the consumer version will be (much) cheaper.

[Josh Ladella @ Oct 3rd 2008 12:05AM]

they should engineer one that can dance to your emotions...

[acme @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:15PM]

there's 30g's of tech in that little thing? holy crap.

[TK @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:37PM]

$30,000... now available at Toys R Us

Holy Shit Inflation!

[npChaos @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:41PM]

If only it were ¥30,000 instead...

[TK @ Oct 2nd 2008 6:41PM]

$30,000... now available at Toys R Us...

Inflation!

[David Takahashi @ Oct 2nd 2008 8:35PM]

I'm so depressed now, I wish I could afford that much.

[Alex @ Oct 3rd 2008 1:52AM]

There is NO FKN WAY that thing is worth $30,000. Manufacturing cost is probably like $3.

And don't believe any of this BS about it being hard to program these things to dance to rhythms. There's many free software available that can calculate a songs BPM automatically and there are free equalizers that can filter out frequencies and cut bands.

Either they are plain stupid to charge that amount, or someone made a typo.

[Nathan @ Oct 3rd 2008 1:39PM]

Add the ability for them to make cute squeaky noises and I'll buy one for $100 but ONLY if it connects to things other than just an iPod.

[i said know @ Oct 13th 2008 4:19PM]

pos