Bocco The Family Robot

[CEATEC 2015] We might not live in a generation where our lifestyle is similar to that of the Jetsons, but this does not mean that we are lagging that far behind in terms of having robots serving in our homes. Bocco, for instance, is a cute little bugger that makes you want to go out and buy one immediately, if you remain unfazed by its 29,000 Yen price point exclusive of tax – which would see it retail in the region of $300 after conversion, of course. The Bocco robot has already started to ship in Japan this July, where it functions as a family robot.

When we say family robot, we do not mean that it is going to pick up after you – no sir, far from that. After all, with a size that is no larger than that of a small doll, how much housekeeping can it do? Basically zilch, as the function of Bocco is to help parents keep in touch with their little ones at home or other family members.

Targeting working parents who want to communicate with their children when they return home from school, parents will use an app that runs on the Android or iOS platforms, to send a SMS or speak into the app. This app will then send the SMS or voice mail to Bocco, who will then read out whatever is said upon receiving it. The eyes are green in color, but turn into a menacing red when it is being recoded. Each purchase will come with a motion sensor, and if your little one decides to not listen to it by pressing the ‘Play’ button on Bocco’s chest, there is not much you can do.

Oh yeah, other than being cute, how different is this from a portable house phone, as the latter does offer the ability to respond?

Edwin Kee
Categories: Gadgets, Robots
Tags: bocco, CEATEC, ceatec 2015