Keep the loneliness at bay with Lovot’s $6,000 friendship robot
It's a sad and lonely world out there — but Japanese startup Groove X has a perfect solution for anyone with a huge stockpile of cash.
The company's new companion robot Lovot ($6,000 for a pair) is built with one purpose in mind: making you feel less dead inside.
The most surprising part: These cute little robots actually work! Watching them roll around the showroom floor at CES 2019 warmed my heart in the same way seeing an adorable puppy would have. They're undeniably lovable, and practically beg to be interacted with.
SEE ALSO:Withings ECG smartwatch is an analog Apple Watch killerThe Lovot robots caught my attention during a small showcase on one of the first nights of the conference. Those big doe eyes are almost impossible to miss from across the room, plus the robots drew a massive crowd pretty quickly.
These robots have heaps of personality. They wag their pudgy arms, stare cautiously at new faces, and they absolutely LOVE being held and hugged. If artificial companionship is what you're looking for, these robots have plenty to offer.
My favorite part about these weird little creatures is they're some of the most sophisticated gadgets I've seen at CES 2019. Each Lovot has over 50 sensors embedded in its body that help it move around a person's home, and they can convincingly recognize and interact with people as though they were a part of the family. They're like having small puppies that need love and affection every second of the day.
The Lovots look a lot like alien-penguin creatures, and I know it's a little weird to say, but they're super realistic. They stare up at people towering over them, trying to identify new faces and old friends. The camera that sits on the top of their head like a hair bun gives them facial recognition abilities, and it also helps them avoid crashing into things.
The Lovot companionship robot sells in pairs for $6,000 and will be available in the U.S. in 2020.Credit: Bridget Bennett / MashableEach Lovot also has its own unique personality, powered by artificial intelligence, that develops quirks over time. For example, you can dress your Lovots in a wide range of goofy clothing, and each will begin to prefer certain outfits. Although Lovots don't say any words, their emotive animations and coos are universal enough that you will naturally know how to respond.
If by now, you're still in disbelief that these robots even exist, you should know that this is part of a growing trend. The popular Netflix show Master of Nonefeatured a similar "companion robot" called Paro back in 2015 (that one is only about $5,000). The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry expects the robotics service industry to reach $4 billion annually by 2035. So expect to see many more of these weird, lovable robot companions in the near future.
The Lovot is available for pre-order now, and costs $6,000 for two. Groove X says they expect to start shipping in 2020. But if you decide to purchase a set, just remember, you can probably buy an actual human friend for that type of money.
Featured Video For You
Keep an eye out for these 7 trends at CES 2019
-
Deceased KSri Lanka, the land of Ceylon teaAntoni from 'Queer Eye' holding a wombat is the purest thing we've seen this week继前日摘金后王凤昨日斩获一铜Weather update for second Pak vs Ban second Test match day oneElderly Koreans' monthly spending averages 1.5 mln won天全县山地鸡产业获千万元科技贷款Opposition elects troubled by election lawsuitsKlarna CEO reveals plan to reduce workforce by 50% and replace it with AIN.K. diplomat denounces Trump's nuclear armament suggestion as 'totally absurd'
下一篇:Google Gemini now allows AI
- ·Supercritical geothermal power: Limitless promise or impossible dream?
- ·7 very serious suggestions for Donald Trump's 'First Pet'
- ·Inter Milan ‘regret’ Perisic departure
- ·Bruno, the quirky, very high
- ·Military prosecutors indict intel official over leaking 'black agent' info
- ·全面推进组织建设任务落实
- ·The internet is really pumped about this teen's quinceañera
- ·Football club seriously regrets posting a job opening on Twitter
- ·Webb scientists haven't found a rocky world with air. But now they have a plan.
- ·Inter Milan ‘regret’ Perisic departure
- ·Medvedev, Tsitsipas crash at French Open
- ·N.K. nuke test concerns grow as work continues
- ·中山古镇:到苏炳添家乡看“村BA”,来一场说走就走的美食之旅
- ·Chinese people cancel planned travels to Japan's quake
- ·Twitter is finally ending its unpopular Mac desktop app
- ·Baseball's Justin Verlander, Dodger Killer, gets $1 million lunch bill
- ·Which iPad Model Is Right for You?
- ·5 browser extensions that can save you time and money
- ·Man Utd banking on Ten Hag to lift mood at Old Trafford
- ·China may not defend N. Korea if nuke tensions spin out of control: experts
- ·13 Places to Find Little Legends and Compact Cryptids
- ·Sri Lankan accommodations dazzle visitors
- ·William Shatner, Amy Schumer, Lin
- ·广东这座“吃海鲜第一大城”,搞起生蚝来有多猛?
- ·22 Unusual Things You Can Find in the Desert
- ·North Korea test
- ·North Korea says it conducted important test to develop multiple warhead missile
- ·雅女王凤、杨雅莉 全运的健儿 雅安的骄傲
- ·Nadal, Djokovic set up French Open quarter
- ·Park: South Korea detects signs of preparations for nuclear test in North Korea
- ·古物:回望时间的印记
- ·Netflix releases the specs for a connected 'Fuller House' bear toy
- ·Super famous cat tweets feline Christmas song and it's glorious
- ·The Samsung Galaxy S8 rumored to be removing the headphone jack
- ·Tesla Robotaxis aren't coming in August, it seems
- ·We have hundreds of ways to DM, but are we really saying anything?