VIDEO: The Return of "Jibo", the Family Robot

"Jibo", the Social Robot from Robot Scientist, Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, is still Almost a Year Away from Commercial Availability but, Breazeal and her Team Have Finally Moved onto a Working Prototype. Slightly Smaller than the Working Prototype we Saw Last Year, "Jibo" is about to Go on Pre-Sale Again with the Company Reopening the Indiegogo Pre-Order Program while Preparing "Jibo" for Developer Release Late this Year and Full-Scale Launch in 2016. The Company Said, they're Putting "Jibo" Back on Pre-Sale, in Response to "Overwhelming Demand". But, it's Clearly also an Effort to Remind the General Public that, "Jibo" is on Track and Coming to a Home Near You in the Not-Too-Distant Future.


This Pre-Sale will be a Little Bit Different than the One that Ran on Indiegogo in June of 2014. Instead of $499 for the Robot and $599 for the Developer Edition with SDK, they'll Offer a $799 "Jibo" Bundle that, will include One Battery and a Charging Base, as well as, the SDK for Anyone Who Asks for it. While "Jibo's" Development is Continuing, Breazeal's Team Hasn't Changed any of the Core Functionality. The Form Factor and Skills that "Jibo" Demonstrated in 2014 — Responding to Voice Commands, Animated Movement (its Torso and Head Move but, the Robot Doesn't Roll Around), Taking Pictures, Recognizing Faces and Responding to Touch — are All the Same. Chambers Noted that, Some Areas of Development such as Creating the Fluid Physical Animations that Give "Jibo" its Personality had Taken More Time than Others. "We've spent a lot of time on motion and graphics of Jibo", Said Chambers. "So, the big items have proven to be the big items", he Said. "But, that’s where the magic happens."


What the Company has also Done since 2014 is Grow. It Hired a New Executive Team and has Expanded from 10 Employees to 30. They Expect to Have 45 by the End of 2015. "This team that we’ve managed to bring on...it is a truly phenomenal team of talent", Said Breazeal. "Truly world class." The Plan for the Full Release of "Jibo" in 2016, is Direct Sales through the Website. But, Chambers Told they Want to Sell the Family Robot in Retail as well "because Jibo is extraordinary when you see it in person", he Said. They also Hope to Develop Some Sort of Pilot Program so, People Can See the Robot Inside Real Family Homes around the Country. As for Breazeal, she's Feeling Confident about "Jibo's" Timing and Trajectory. "I'm extremely confident and just very, very happy."




Check a Video from "Jibo" Robot:

https://youtu.be/7Zt8hl5YWpM