BUDDY: Best Robots for the Home
Overtime, technology for the home has improved by cost, function and availability. But with an obsession on “smart” objects, we overlook a different category of electronics— robots for the home. Who hasn’t wondered what a robot companion would be like? Now, it exists at a reasonable cost with impressive capabilities. There’s just four more days to fund BUDDY on Indiegogo before the manufacturing phase begins in September. One purchase is one step closer to the Jetson’s lifestyle.
BUDDY’s features can serve a multitude of people: busy parents, elders and even special needs children. BUDDY can help schedule appointments or detect falls. As for his autistic help, the BUDDY special needs pack helps children work on communication, interaction and autonomy. BUDDY helps the whole family and their phones, tablets or computers can control the same BUDDY. Notifications in the mobile app can inform family members if BUDDY is busy. And when BUDDY isn’t serving his more complex responsibilities, he can bring the party acting as a speaker, slideshow or video conferencing screen.
The founder of BUDDY, Rodolphe Hasselvander, has had a longtime interest in robotics. As a StarWars fan, he was convinced that “one day, we will all have our own R2D2 at home.” This R2D2 inspiration surely reflects on the design of BUDDY. The robot has a round, full body and prominent wheels, yet differs in his expressions. A French invention, BUDDY looks quiet different from its American counterpart, Jibo- the #1 Most Successful Technology Campaign on Indiegogo in Summer 2014. BUDDY’s facial focus outperforms Jibo’s symbol emphasis. In terms of a price difference, Jibo costs $100 more, without any Indiegogo promotional pricing.
Both social robots try to find a place in your family. Which one would you be more likely to adopt?
Related Content: