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Journalism of Courage
“Your phone has always had a soul, it’s time to give it a body – say hello to Looi!” This bold proclamation kicks off the crowdfunding campaign for perhaps one of the most innovative smartphone accessories you can spend cash on.
Looi is a quirky little desktop robot that literally brings your phone to life. It magnetically connects to your smartphone, using the screen for animated eyes and integrating with the hardware to sense its surroundings.
Beyond being a pet, Looi also offers some real functionality too. The robot can act as a wireless charger when you need to power up. It becomes a remote avatar letting you explore the world from a new perspective. It can also display call notifications or double up as a clock. You can even play video games with it.
With sensors allowing it to fully perceive its surroundings, Looi reacts naturally to touch, hand gestures, and even your presence leaving the room. So while it loves keeping you company, it also knows when to give you some alone time.
The Indiegogo campaign has already raised over $243k – far exceeding its modest $5k goal with two weeks still to go. You can pre-order this bot for $129 (Rs 10,755) as part of an ‘Early Bird’ offer with deliveries expected to start August this year. This is surprisingly affordable for a robot with such functionality.
The robotics industry as a whole is advancing fast, driven by increasingly sophisticated AI language models like ChatGPT. Take Figure 01 for example – this general-purpose robot from startup Figure AI can understand and respond to natural commands, engaging in back-and-forth dialogs to accomplish tasks like rearranging your dishes.
