Colin Angle, the robotics pioneer behind the Roomba vacuum, has unveiled a four-legged prototype of an AI-powered pet robot called the Familiar. The device, designed to follow owners around the home and adapt to daily habits, was introduced on Monday at The Wall Street Journal's Future of Everything conference in New York.
The Familiar is a plush, bulldog-sized creature with doe-like eyes, bear cub ears and paws, and touch-sensitive fake fur. It extends into a greeting stretch to invite pats. Angle, who leads startup Familiar Machines & Magic, said the form factor was chosen to avoid preconceptions associated with humans, dogs, or cats.
Angle believes the Familiar achieves something new, despite earlier efforts like Sony's Aibo robot dog. The robot makes emotive, animal-like sounds but does not talk. It uses audio input and an AI system to understand and learn from speech, adapting its behaviour over time. Angle said the challenge was to create something people want to hug and pet, not just a watch-me toy.
Angle led iRobot for 25 years, turning Roomba into the first widely adopted home robot. He stepped down in 2024 after Amazon abandoned its plan to buy the company. Familiar Machines was founded soon after and remained in stealth mode until Monday. The startup has recruited prominent robotics advisers, including Marc Raibert of Boston Dynamics and Cynthia Breazeal, inventor of the robot head Kismet.
One target demographic is retired people past the peak age of pet ownership, who may be reluctant to get new pets due to fear and obligation. Angle said the robot could also be useful in nursing homes. Adviser Maja Matarić, a socially assistive robotics pioneer, said the robot's cuteness and vulnerability make it appealing and lovable.
