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Summarised by Centrist
Colin Angle, the former iRobot chief executive and creator of the Roomba, is developing a furry AI robot companion designed for use in the home.
The product is being built by Angle’s new company, Familiar Machines & Magic, and is called a Familiar.
The robot is still in the prototype stage and is expected to launch next year. Its price has not been announced.
The Familiar is described as a pet-sized companion that does not speak, but can make sounds such as purring and meowing. Angle says it is intended to respond to a person’s mood and help address loneliness.
“I want to feel like the machine I’m building actually cares about me,” Angle told the Wall Street Journal.
He has also suggested the robot could have uses in “high human connection roles,” including eldercare and parental support.
Asked about concerns that people may rely too heavily on technology to meet emotional needs, Angle said the robot’s inability to speak may reduce the risk of users forming a more intense attachment.
Angle said the Familiar would cost “around the same as pet ownership,” though he did not give a specific figure.
