Founded by alumni of SoftBank Group Corp’s robotics unit, Groove X unveiled the giant-eyed Lovot, a robot pet that can sense people’s emotions and communicate with them. The Lovot is a lovable robot designed to make its owners happy by mimicking affection.
Japanese startup GROOVE X has adopted a guerilla approach, placing billboards in strategic locations with the aim of taking its promotion viral. The Lovot sings “family type” and is a mysterious existence that does not resemble any existing creatures as if life is inhabited.
According to the company, the name LOVOT comes from a combination of the words love and robot, a new home robot that stirs your instinct to love. Groove X founder and CEO Kaname Hayashi said: “it cannot help with chores; it will “draw out your ability to love,”
Weighing 3 kilograms and standing up to 43 centimeters tall, the mechanical companion is fitted with an internal camera and AI that helps to learn the layout of its household so it can move around without crashing into furniture. Groove X said the launch of Lovot will spark an all-new relationship between robots and humans.
The robot moves on wheels is fitted with 50 sensors, and use artificial intelligence to mimic the behavior and emotions of a living being. Buyers can choose from color variants when ordering their Lovot.
Pre-ordering starts on Tuesday with a deposit of 20,000 yen ($177.67). It will be shipped at the end of 2019 that offers sets of two priced at 598,000 yen ($5,300) plus a monthly service fee expected to be around 20,000 yen or one Lovot for shipment in early 2020 at the cost of 349,000 yen.
