Have you always dreamt of having a cute robot that somehow resembles Wall-E to follow you around and entertain you? Well that’s not just the stuff of science fiction anymore and we are getting close and closer to having what we’ve just watched in movies and read in books. The newest step towards the ultimate AI robot is the Cozmo, from robotics and AI company Anki. Let’s just hope these tiny, cute robots don’t take over the world eventually.
Calling it the “little robot with a big brain and an even bigger personality,” Cozmo is basically a cross between a toy, a game, and one of the most advanced in terms of artificial intelligence. It’s so tiny it can fit in the palm of your hand, but most of the time, you will probably put it on a table. It has an “emotion engine” which will develop the more you use and “bond” with your robot. It will learn to recognize faces and light up when it sees one, try to catch your attention if you haven’t played with it in a while, and sulk if you play games with it and you beat it.
And even if you place it on the table, it will learn not to fall from it as it will make distress noises and go back a few steps if it senses it’s on the edge. To take control of the robot and play with it, all you need is your Android smartphone and the app that comes with it. The Cozmo was developed by a team composed of robotics PhD holders, animators, game developers, and designers. They have managed to create something that strikes a balance between being kid-friendly and being a genuine AI marvel.
You can pre-order the robot from Anki.com and it will only cost you $179.99. It will start shipping by October, and if it connects with the public, it will probably become the Christmas gift to beat this year.
SOURCE: Anki
