Artibo is an affordable compact AI robot with bunny ears that wants to befriend your entire family

Artibo ($99) wants to be chums – with everyone. The little robot pipes up the second it’s turned on, and can scoot about once you connect the AI (head) block to the motor (body) block, and add a couple of wheels – the result resembling the dinky offspring of a Segway and EVE from WALL•E. Thereafter, the kids can learn to code Artibo’s movements, and chat with parents via the Artibo-to-device Walkie Talkie mode; families can learn new languages and check their schedules; and the dog can be exercised by a tiny motorised terror chasing it about. Add four bucks and you get furry bunny ears, too, so Artibo can fully adhere to Asimov’s lesser-known fourth law of robotics: A robot must wear bunny ears unless that conflicts with the first three laws, and, oh man, I shouldn’t have downed that entire bottle of gin just now.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.