Roomba creator unveils AI robot designed for companionship
What's the story
Colin Angle, the mastermind behind the Roomba and longtime former CEO of iRobot, has launched a new venture called Familiar Machines & Magic. The company's first product is a dog-sized robotic pet called "Familiar." The name is inspired by folklore and mythical creatures that serve as companions. The quadruped robot can navigate homes on all fours, mimicking real-life pets.
Tech specs
A new era of robotics
Familiar is a "physically embodied AI system" that leverages generative AI to interact with its owner. The goal is to form an emotional bond and develop a unique personality over time. Angle believes such robots will be more effective in high human connection roles like companionship, entertainment, hospitality, smart home, eldercare, and parental support. He envisions the next era of robotics as machines capable of building and sustaining human connections.
Development timeline
Familiar will be 'around the same as pet ownership'
The first Familiar, codenamed Ami, won't be available for purchase until next year. It will cost "around the same as pet ownership," according to Angle. The exact features of this innovative robotic pet are still under wraps. However, Angle hints at its initial use cases being focused on families with young children, companionship for the elderly, and tackling global loneliness issues.
Robot features
Not a humanoid robot
The Familiar is not a humanoid robot but an unidentifiable creature. Angle explains that if you create a specific animal or form-factor, people will have preconceived ideas about its abilities. The robot doesn't talk but makes nonverbal sounds like meowing and purring noises. Its primary communication is through expression and body language, aided by a camera-based vision system and microphone array.
AI integration
Powered by NVIDIA's Jetson Orin chip
The Familiar is backed by NVIDIA's Jetson Orin chip. Its onboard edge AI stack is powered by a custom small multimodal model optimized for social reasoning combining vision audio language and memory to create socially responsive behaviors in real time. It doesn't need an internet connection but can be connected, and it doesn't stream audio or video to the cloud; a deliberate design decision to protect privacy and improve latency.
Social implications
Angle envisions familiar fostering social interaction
Angle believes an AI-powered companion like Familiar could help tackle the growing problem of loneliness and provide an alternative to technology that keeps us glued to screens. The robot is designed to interact with its owner, encouraging them to engage in activities other than screen time or solitude at home. Angle hopes this will promote social interaction and engagement among users.