Behold the majesty of Pleo. It's a robot, coming out in the second quarter of 2007, that exhibits emotional reactions to its surroundings. So far, companion robots have been a big flop in the market, but Pleo maker Ugobe hopes to succeed by pricing it for around $250, lower than other companion robots, and giving consumers ways to program it. Don't be fooled by the eyes; the vision system is in its nose.
When it's in a good mood, the Pleo wags it tail back and forth. It also makes a sort of mooing sound, which is appropriate given that the robot is modeled after the Camarasaurus, a cow-like dinosaur that roamed the Americas in the Jurassic period. A paleontologist helped Ugobe come up with the design.
There's a lot going on under the Pleo's rubbery skin. The robot contains six microprocessors and more than 150 gears. It also has a memory card slot where the sun don't shine.
Credit: Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com
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