New home robot prioritises emotional connection over chores in the next phase of robotics.
Dubai: More than two decades after helping bring robot vacuums into millions of homes, Roomba co-founder Colin Angle is back with a very different vision for home robotics — one centred on companionship rather than chores.
Angle has launched a new startup, Familiar Machines & Magic, unveiling its first consumer robot, called Familiar — a soft, furry, AI-powered device designed to engage emotionally with people at home, according to a report by The Verge.
Unlike traditional home robots designed to vacuum floors, patrol spaces, or respond to voice commands, Familiar is built as a physical companion. About the size of a medium dog, it blends animal-like movements, expressive eyes, subtle gestures, and sound cues to create what its makers describe as a more natural emotional connection with users.
The robot does not speak; instead, it communicates through movement, posture, and behaviour, responding to tone, touch, and environmental cues using on-device artificial intelligence.
The approach reflects a broader shift in robotics.
While companies like Amazon have experimented with home robots such as Amazon Astro, and AI assistants are becoming more conversational, Familiar targets a different role — offering companionship, comfort, and a constant presence in the home rather than task-based assistance.
The company said most of the robot’s processing takes place locally on the device using advanced AI hardware, reducing reliance on cloud systems and limiting the transmission of personal data — an increasing concern as connected devices become more integrated into daily life.
The launch also comes as the global robotics market expands beyond industrial and utility-focused machines into emotionally responsive consumer devices, ranging from companion robots for children to support systems for older adults.
For Angle, whose Roomba helped reshape how households view automation, the next frontier appears to be less about what robots can do — and more about how they connect with people.
If the first generation of home robots focused on cleaning, the next may simply be designed to be part of everyday life.
