Anki Vector Robot Now Available for Purchase [Video]

Anki has announced the availability of Vector, 'The Good Robot'. The company says Vector is the closest the world has come to the quest for an affable useful home robot inspired by characters like R2-D2 from “Star Wars,” and Rosie in “The Jetsons.

Vector has been in development since 2016. He is an affordable, character-rich companion—a brand new category for home robots. He isn’t just technologically advanced; he represents a friendly, symbiotic future where robots and mankind live in peace.

Vector can show you the weather, take photos, time dinner, play blackjack and more. You communicate with Vector by saying 'Hey Vector'.

“For over five years, Anki has brought together a team of experts across various fields to create the world’s first affordable, character-rich robot capable of surprising and delighting humans,” said Boris Sofman, CEO and co-founder at Anki. “Vector is the culmination of everything we’ve learned in this journey so far, and a bold next step in our vision for entertaining and purposeful robots in every home, everywhere. Today marks the starting point in an overall expansion for our robotics platform and how we combine the latest technologies in robotics and artificial intelligence with our novel approach to character and interface. For the first time, people will be living with a robot that is able to bring both a warm and joyful experience, as well as a new and characterful form of utility. This builds a bridge not just to a new category of home robots, but our own future product lines that will continue to expand on the level of capabilities that are possible."

Highlights:
● Vector is fully autonomous, cloud-connected, and always-on. While he is deceptively smart out of the box, he’ll only become smarter over time thanks to over-the-air (OTA) updates.
● Vector wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t shy about showing it on his high-res color IPS display. With around a thousand animations in Vector, he reacts to his environment in a way that’s not only full of personality but also meaningful. He even responds to human touch, thanks to the capacitive touch sensor built on his back.
● Vector’s got his head in the clouds but that doesn’t mean he’s living in a fantasy world. Tapping into the Ask Vector feature, he’ll provide instant answers to factual questions about real world people, places, and things.
● Vector is more than just a robot sidekick. He can help you become more productive by helping out with simple tasks. Ask him for the weather before you head out for the day and he will answer in his own, charming way. Cooking dinner? Setting a timer with Vector means no more overcooked meals in your future. You can even ask him to take a picture and he will intelligently frame the shot by recognizing the faces in it.
● And just because Vector is a helpful robot doesn’t mean he can’t also have a little bit of fun. You can prompt him to play a game of Blackjack and he’ll even use his accessory Cube to play a handful of games with you. If he hears music, he may even dance to the beat.

Technology:
● Vector’s brain is built on a Qualcomm Technologies’ platform which provides the connectivity, computing, camera, and on-device A.I. capabilities that Vector needs to be smart, approachable, and autonomous – without having to be tethered to a phone or requiring a permanent cloud connection.
● Vector is outfitted with an HD camera with 120° ultra-wide field of view that allows him to see the world, recognize people in the room, as well as learn the names of people he sees.
● Vector uses an array of four microphones to hear and detect commands from you and your family and friends around the home. Just say “hey Vector ” to get his attention and voice a command.
● Vector already knows his limits. When he’s feeling tired or low on energy, he can locate and roll back to his charger. He is also equipped with four cliff sensors, which are infrared (I.R.) emitters situated under the corners and there to prevent Vector from falling off edges.

You can purchase Vector for $249.99 at the link below...

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