Toyota goes all cute with Kirobo Mini 05 | 10 | 2016
HERE’S SOMETHING A little different: Toyota is bringing its Kirobo Mini to market in 2017, proving that robots can be cute and companionable as well as useful. (Related: Roadtest — Toyota Hilux 2.4 Double Cab)
Developed as a “communication partner,” Kirobo Mini — whose seated height is 10cm — can hold a basic conversation, make hand gestures, and can respond to human emotions. Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it is perfectly portable so can serve as a constant companion to its owner. We know: it’ll become a sane alternative to your smartphone!
Having said that: watch the Kirobo Mini video. It gets eerily spooky towards the end.
Sales will start at selected Toyota dealers in Japan this winter ahead of a nationwide roll-out next year. Oh, and it’ll set you back around 300 quid, with an additional monthly fee of around £2.50 for use of the dedicated app.
Kirobo Mini’s range of gestures and conversational skills are principally made possible by its connection via Bluetooth to smartphones installed with a dedicated app.
Rather spookily, the built-in camera allows it to recognise people’s facial expressions and try to gauge their emotions, changing the way it speaks and moves accordingly.
Kirobo Mini can also draw on information from the vehicle or home environment to generate a conversation … hmmm, at present exclusively in Japanese.
Kirobo Mini has been developed as part of the Toyota Heart Project, which aims to create human-like interaction between man and machine in a format other than automobiles, but using the same fundamental concept of “inspiring the heart, inspiring you” that it applies to vehicle manufacturing.
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Jim McGill