Roomba Inventor Now Wants You to Own an AI Robot Pet

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The former iRobot CEO and brains behind the Roomba is back with a new robotic concept, but it's not a household appliance. Colin Angle, now CEO and co-founder of Familiar Machines & Magic, has unveiled his next venture: AI robot pets.

As reported earlier this week by The Verge, the AI robot companions known as Familiars were unveiled at The Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything conference. A Familiar resembles a stuffed toy with a microphone, vision and audio system. It has a plush coat and stands on four legs, and it is intended for social interaction and companionship -- similar to having a real-life pet.

The company's website describes Familiarsas an ideal companion for those who want a pet but can't own one. The robots are meant to be nonjudgmental listeners, engage kids in play and respond with affection (such as nuzzling and tail wagging) based...

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