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Sharp's latest RoBoHon robot can't walk, but hey it's only $715
The cute Japanese robots keep coming. Sony's adorable Aibo pups are already on to their sixth litter and now Sharp is upgrading its RoBoHon line, too. In case you need reminding, that's the robot smartphone that -- like all good droids -- can sing and dance. Along with pricey LTE and WiFi-only models, the second-gen RoBoHon range includes a cheaper "seated" bot that costs 79,000 yen plus tax (around $715). Of course, that means it can't walk, but it will still be able to bust-a-move to certain songs using the top half of its body. Users can also manually move its legs to make it stand upright.
Sony's new Aibo robot looks like a beagle
Sony has made Aibo much harder to resist for people who love chocolate-colored dogs. The tech giant has launched a tricolor version of its robotic canine with two shades of brown, and it's now available for pre-order in Japan. Since it's pretty much just a recolored release with no differences in hardware and software, it also costs 198,000 JPY (US$1,800) like the original Aibo, not including taxes and subscription fees. Sony promises to roll out a new security feature now that it has teamed up with security firm Secom, though.
Japan’s latest companion robot is the fuzzy, expressive Lovot
Japanese company Groove X has just unveiled its Lovot robot, but while many robots you hear about are developed to perform some sort of task, Lovot is only here to warm your heart. Built around the concept of "a little love can change the world," Lovot is a robot companion that can ask for attention, shy away from people it's not familiar with and follow you around like a pet. "The Lovot is not a useful robot that will do tasks for human beings," Groove X said in a press release. "What Groove X have pursued with technology is not efficiency or usefulness, but rather a robot that makes people truly happy by its innocent character and charming gestures that feels satisfying to cuddle."
Vector, Anki’s cute robot companion, is available today
Anki's Vector, the $2 million Kickstarter darling, is out today, and he's ready to be your best friend. Vector is the follow-up to Anki's first Robot, Cozmo. While Cozmo was more focused on being a toy for kids, Vector aims to be a robot assistant. It will even have Alexa integration by the end of the year, giving it access to a larger trove of information to be able to answer more questions. Vector's defining characteristic are its large, expressive eyes. The Wall-E-esque nature of the robot gives it an adorable personality. And even while you're typing away at your desk, Vector will be doing its own thing, exploring and messing around. It can even do tricks, like pop a wheelie. Vector has a front-facing camera that can recognize your face, as well as a four-microphone array on top for voice commands. And whenever Vector runs low on battery, he'll truck on over to a charging port and juice up. Anki will be updating Vector throughout its lifespan. The company plans to add additional features like delivering messages to contacts, pet detection, music recognition, smart home integration, and Tile support. Vector and the Vector Space, a small plastic plate for your robot buddy to hang around in, is available for $250 and $30 respective on Anki's official website. Vector can also be purchased on Amazon and Best Buy.
Sphero spin-off's Misty II robot is now available for pre-order
Sphero spin-off Misty Robotics has officially announced the mass-produced version of the robot helper it showed off at CES this year. The cute little machine, officially called Misty II, still resembles Wall-E like its predecessor, but it can actually do things unlike Misty I. Thanks to developers' work on the original robot, it now comes with a set of capabilities and has a bunch of downloadable skills to choose from. It can move autonomously and respond to its environment, create a 3D map of its surroundings, recognize faces, respond to commands, charge itself and talk.
Toyota's companion robot goes on sale at the end of the year
Toyota has announced that it'll sell people its adorable Kirobo Mini "communication partner robot" from the end of this year. Would-be owners can snag one from a series of low-volume pre-sales at Toyota dealerships in Tokyo as well as Aichi Prefecture. Otherwise, they'll have to wait until 2017 for the weeny 'bots, which are designed to sit in your car's cup holders, to reach store shelves across the country. If you're wondering where you've seen this tech before, don't worry, Toyota sent one into space to hang around the ISS a while ago.
Buddy the robot wants to be your modern-day Rosie
Personal companion robots have been around for ages, but they've never really been able to live up to our expectations. Everybody wants Rosie from The Jetsons, but we seem to always wind up with Paulie's Robot from Rocky. While previous companion bots like the AIBO or NAO have found moderate acceptance among consumers, they've mainly been novelties: toys rather than tools. That disappointing streak could finally be at an end, though, thanks to Blue Frog Robotics' new mechanical companion, Buddy. This little guy has R2-D2's versatility but with Wall-E's emotive abilities. The BFR team recently stopped by Engadget's San Francisco office to show off an early version of the device. Despite a few quirks with the prototype they demoed, Buddy could soon find a place in your home and your heart.
Adorable AI-powered robot Musio just wants to be your friend
Everyone complains about not having flying cars yet, but where are our robotic pals? Films like Short Circuit, Big Hero 6 and Wall-E certainly make them seem appealing, though our ever-constant anxiety around Terminator-like robot uprisings is likely holding them back. Musio, the first hardware product from the AI software company AKAStudy, hopes to change the way we view robot companions. Using the company's machine learning and natural language technology, it can have back and forth conversations and even learn from your chats, making it seem more like an attentive friend than a dumb machine. AKA's hoping to raise $50,000 on Indiegogo to get Musio produced -- so far, even without promotion, it's got $16,000 from backers. Musio could be like a smarter physical take on Apple's Siri: It can alert you of emails and events on your calendar, but it can also interact with connected gadgets in your home. Also, if you can look past its cold, dead eyes (which animate to show emotion) it's sort of cute.
