A new humanoid robot named Sprout, designed to be approachable and friendly, has been unveiled by stealth startup Fauna Robotics. Standing just 3.5 feet tall with a soft sage-green foam exterior and emotive expressions, Sprout is intended for homes, schools, and social spaces rather than factories or warehouses.
Unlike the sleek and intimidating humanoids from companies like Tesla or Boston Dynamics, Sprout's charm is deliberate. Co-founder and CEO Rob Cochran said the inspiration came from beloved fictional robots like WALL-E and Baymax, not from dystopian science fiction. The robot can nod, lift its eyebrows, shake hands, and even dance, making it suitable for interaction with children.
Fauna Robotics is positioning Sprout as a developer platform, similar to early personal computers or smartphones. Priced at $50,000, it is aimed at university labs, tech entrepreneurs, and companies like Disney and Boston Dynamics, who are among the first customers. The robot can be controlled via a video game controller, phone app, or VR headset, and can navigate autonomously.
While Sprout cannot lift heavy objects, it can perform tasks like grabbing toys, walking steadily on uneven ground, and recovering from near-trips. The company believes it is the first American firm to actively ship humanoid robots as a developer platform, hand-delivering initial models to early adopters.
