The domestic robot that looks like an extra cut from Disney’s Wall-E is coming along nicely, after debuting at CES this year with a Holiday 2017 release window. Mayfield Robotics’ Kuri is an expressive bowling pin that will steal your heart and hopes to become a key element of your family’s home life, and its latest updates make it better at capturing cherished memories, at recognizing fuzzy friends, and at getting around.
The Kuri team has provided some updates on its progress in developing the robot, including news that its visual intelligence system can now identify and recognize pets, including dogs and cats. This is in addition to its ability to recognize human family members, which was previously announced. That means it can understand when it’s looking at a pet, and that information can have different consequences than if it were seeing a human, for instance.
Kuri also now sports a better vision system, which includes a 1080p HD camera, which is now fully integrated with the rest of its systems. The 1080p virtual eyes mean that Kuri can stream live in top quality, as well as capture still images and video while interacting with the family for some memorial keepsakes.
Finally, Kuri’s drivetrain has been upgraded, with new belt treads in place of the originally planned wheels. This will allow Kuri to move around more smoothly, while also making less noise and improving overall traction, so that the robot is better able to handle multiple and changing indoor surfaces, including carpets and rugs.