Robots are invading our homes, in one way or another. There are the rolling discs that are robot vacuum cleaners, and there are a growing number of cute robots that aim to provide entertainment and sometimes even security for the whole family. Well, at least the human members of the family. Some households have “small” a.k.a. furry family members, and these are often left unserved by these modern innovations. Worse, they’re sometimes even put at risk because of how some smart home robots are not designed with pets in mind. Turning the tables around, Ogmen Robotics is revealing at CES 2024 a kind of intelligent home robot that was designed from the ground up to be the “pawfect” playmate, guardian, and caretaker for your canine best friend.
Designer: Ogmen Robotics
At first glance, the Ogmen ORo looks like one of those robots on wheels designed for human use. After all, it has the semblance of a face, or at least eyes, on a tablet-like screen and a somewhat tall frame that loosely resembles a body. They say that looks can be deceiving, and that’s definitely the case here since all of the ORo’s features were carefully selected for the benefit of dogkind primarily, and humans only by association.
At the top of the list of those features is its ability to provide physical, mental, and emotional stimulation through playful activities. It keeps track of the dog’s health and even detects when they’re feeling anxious, at which point ORo will play soothing music to help calm them down. It can even help owners train their dogs through obedience games and virtual training services right at home.
When paired with Orgmen’s food and medicine dispenser, the ORo robot ensures that the pooch gets a balanced diet while also monitoring their eating habits. For humans, ORo offers the benefits of remote connectivity and interaction, allowing owner and pet to bond even when they’re far apart. The robot can also take photos of the bet’s precious moments, allowing you to easily share and boast on social media.
Technology doesn’t need to benefit humans only. In fact, it should be used to benefit all, including the planet as well as our furry friends. Ogmen’s ORo puts those very same technologies that power human smart appliances and devices at the service of the four-legged members of the family. After all, having happy and healthy family members is a good thing for both humans and animals alike.
Robots are invading our homes, in one way or another. There are the rolling discs that are robot vacuum cleaners, and there are a growing number of cute robots that aim to provide entertainment and sometimes even security for the whole family. Well, at least the human members of the family. Some households have “small” a.k.a. furry family members, and these are often left unserved by these modern innovations. Worse, they’re sometimes even put at risk because of how some smart home robots are not designed with pets in mind. Turning the tables around, Ogmen Robotics is revealing at CES 2024 a kind of intelligent home robot that was designed from the ground up to be the “pawfect” playmate, guardian, and caretaker for your canine best friend.
Designer: Ogmen Robotics
At first glance, the Ogmen ORo looks like one of those robots on wheels designed for human use. After all, it has the semblance of a face, or at least eyes, on a tablet-like screen and a somewhat tall frame that loosely resembles a body. They say that looks can be deceiving, and that’s definitely the case here since all of the ORo’s features were carefully selected for the benefit of dogkind primarily, and humans only by association.
At the top of the list of those features is its ability to provide physical, mental, and emotional stimulation through playful activities. It keeps track of the dog’s health and even detects when they’re feeling anxious, at which point ORo will play soothing music to help calm them down. It can even help owners train their dogs through obedience games and virtual training services right at home.
When paired with Orgmen’s food and medicine dispenser, the ORo robot ensures that the pooch gets a balanced diet while also monitoring their eating habits. For humans, ORo offers the benefits of remote connectivity and interaction, allowing owner and pet to bond even when they’re far apart. The robot can also take photos of the bet’s precious moments, allowing you to easily share and boast on social media.
Technology doesn’t need to benefit humans only. In fact, it should be used to benefit all, including the planet as well as our furry friends. Ogmen’s ORo puts those very same technologies that power human smart appliances and devices at the service of the four-legged members of the family. After all, having happy and healthy family members is a good thing for both humans and animals alike.
On the one hand, you’ve got incredibly capable AI that has some scary implications for the human race… but on the other hand, you have the Bittle X, an adorable toy robot dog that allows you to befriend, train, and tame technology instead of being afraid of it. A sibling to Petoi’s Bittle robot dog that debuted in 2020, Bittle X comes with a few upgrades, proving that an old dog CAN learn new tricks! Designed to resemble the Boston Dynamics robot dog, the Bittle X is a palm-sized STEM toy that’s perfect for kids, tinkerers, engineers, and people looking to experiment with coding, robotics, IoT(Internet of Things), and AI. It’s entirely open-source, runs on a block-based programming environment, has support for C++/Python programming, and comes with a few extra upgrades that the Bittle lacks, like now being able to follow voice commands, as well as record and program your own voice commands!
Designer: Rongzhong Li
Click Here to Buy Now: $225$279 (Use Coupon Code “yanko10” to get an additional $10 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!
Easy to Develop AI, IoT and Robotics Applications for Quadruped Robot Dog
Less of a toy and more of a learning opportunity, the Bittle X was designed to make robotics more accessible to anyone looking to dive into the world of robotics. It comes with a tiny form, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but is designed to be incredibly articulate with multiple joints with high-performance servos that allow it to walk, sit, jump, backflip, kick, and even scratch itself like a real dog would! Moreover, its bionic leg construction gives it natural movement, allowing it to sit down, get up, recover from a flipover, and even walk across uneven terrain.
The pint-sized pooch comes in two styles – a pre-assembled kit that works right out of the box, and a construction kit that gives you the joy of being able to put together your own voice-command robot dog from scratch. Assembling the robot doesn’t require much technical knowledge, given that the plastic parts are already molded and easy to assemble with interlocking mechanisms. Once assembled, the Bittle X is ready to play/engage with you and follow your commands. A remote control lets you wirelessly operate your Bittle X, although notably, it also now has support for voice commands, allowing you to tell it to wave hello, give you a handshake, sit, crawl, dig, play dead, and even do a handstand! Right out of the box, the dog has support for 35+ voice commands, along with the ability to store 10 additional voice commands that you can program yourself.
The robot operates on the OpenCat platform, offering endless programming and customization possibilities. It supports block-based programming with Petoi’s Coding Blocks, C++, and Python, making it a versatile tool for users at different learning stages. You can also use the free Petoi Desktop App – Skill Composer to visually create new robot dog skills with ease. The creators, Petoi, even further their commitment towards STEM education by providing free curriculums for anyone looking to learn how to tinker with their Bittle X (and other robot pets). You can find all the necessary resources on Petoi’s OpenCat forum, along with ideas and prompts for experimenting with your robot dogs (like orchestrating robot wars, hosting your own doggy Olympics, and performing more complex challenges like solving mazes), and even a section where Petoi showcases works from other tinkerers playing around with their Bittles.
Underneath that playful exterior, Bittle X is powered by the BiBoard, Petoi’s latest quadruped robot microcontroller, ensuring smooth, coordinated movements. The option to integrate various smart sensors, like the Petoi intelligent camera module, the motion sensor, or the distance sensor, allows you to add depth to its perception and artificial intelligence capabilities via coding, allowing for more advanced interactions, games, and robotics competitions. The ESP32-based BiBoard comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, serial connections, and voice command support, along with its servos and Li-ion battery providing about an hour of continuous playtime.
The friendly robot dog is designed for all ages above 8 (what you really need is childlike curiosity), and is sure to get along with everyone it meets! Alongside being a robot dog that learns tricks and commands, it’s also rewarding because you get to learn with it, creating a bonding experience that’s not too different from actually playing with and training real pets. The Bittle X starts at $236.99 during Petoi’s holiday sale, but YD readers can grab a nifty $10 discount, bringing the price down to $225. Grab yours now and build your army of loyal minions before the AI takes over!
Click Here to Buy Now: $225$279 (Use Coupon Code “yanko10” to get an additional $10 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!
Canadian dog brand Earth Rated has embarked on a transformative journey, collaborating with design agency Layer to redefine its identity and expand its product line. The result is a clean and simple rebrand that not only emphasizes recycling and natural products but also introduces a captivating range of sustainable dog toys. This extensive two-year project represents a commitment to holistic design, integrating sustainability into every aspect of the brand.
At the heart of the rebrand is a simple yet effective brandmark that captures the playful essence of Earth Rated. The brand name, expressed in a minimalistic sans-serif font, features a characterful dog silhouette cleverly integrated into the negative space of the “T” and “H” letterforms. This subtle representation of a dog marks an evolution from the more overt cartoon canine mascot associated with Earth Rated’s origins, reflecting a sophisticated and modern approach.
The new identity is defined by fresh greens and vibrant yellow accents, creating a distinctive and ownable signature. The choice of yellow holds significance beyond aesthetics, as it is one of the few colors visible to dogs, aligning with the brand’s focus on creating products that resonate with our furry companions.
Earth Rated proudly holds B Corp Certification, reflecting its commitment to social and environmental impact. The rebrand by Layer reinforces these sustainable values, with new products crafted from recycled and recyclable materials, post-consumer waste, and natural resources such as natural rubber. Even the packaging is designed with eco-friendliness in mind, utilizing recycled plastics, post-consumer waste, recycled cardboard, and natural ink.
Affordability is a key aspect of the rebrand, making great design accessible to a wide range of dog owners. For instance, the poop bag dispenser retails for just $5.99, while a pack of 315 scented or unscented poop bags is priced at $18.99.
Earth Rated is renowned globally for its distinctive poop bags and dispensers, both of which have been reimagined by Layer. The new poop bag dispenser features an intuitive design with a clip to hold used bags, a textured strap for easy attachment to a leash or bag, and a slot for easy access to the bags. The bags, available in compostable, lavender-scented, and unscented versions, not only offer practicality but also serve as a subtle billboard for the Earth Rated brand as they unroll.
Layer’s influence extends to a new collection of dog toys that celebrates the sustainable values driving Earth Rated. Joyful geometric forms and textured surfaces invite interaction, creating an intuitive user experience for both pets and their owners. The material palette includes recycled and recyclable materials, compostable and post-consumer recycled plastics, and natural rubber. Dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, these toys are designed to be recycled at the end of their life.
The five toys in the collection—Fly, Tug, Fetch, Treat, and Chew—reimagine classic typologies for added functionality. Each toy offers a unique interaction, from the Fly Toy’s raised rim for easy gripping to the Chew Toy’s twisted form that enables dogs to hold it effectively. The Fetch Toy, with its intersecting forms, adds an element of unpredictability to playtime, keeping both pets and owners engaged.
Designer Benjamin Hubert, leading the Layer team, expressed excitement about collaborating with Earth Rated, emphasizing the project’s rewarding nature. The results, he states, celebrate shared values of responsible, sustainable, and affordable design, marking a significant step in the evolution of Earth Rated and setting a new standard for the pet industry.
We’ve seen enough movies set in space and maybe even some documentaries or real life videos to know that life during space travel can be lonely. So having a pet with the astronauts can help with their mental health. But of course, there are limitations when it comes to actually having pets in space. So the next best thing would be to have a robot that would take the place of a pet and also be able to do even more than real animals. And of course, an AI powered one would probably be even better.
Designer: Jihee Kim
If this concept will come to life, Laika will be an ideal robot pet powered by Artificial Intelligence and it is designed to be as life-like as possible. After all, it is named after one of the first animals in space. While there are several robotic dogs available now, this one is supposedly designed to be a more friendly version. This way it can actually be a beloved pet for the astronauts and it can be integrated in “domestic contexts”. But aside from being a companion, the AI dog can also be used in case of emergencies and even to monitor the health condition of the people on board the space vehicle.
Laika is made from robust titanium so that it can withstand extreme conditions that they may encounter in space. It also comes with different kind of sensors so it can identify objects, people, and even literal space. This includes thermal imaging, depth cameras, slam cameras, and ultrasonic sensors. It also comes with ECG sensors so it will be able to monitor the health condition of the astronauts especially during times when emotions are heightened which can translate physically as well.
There are also future tweaks to improve more things about Laika, like adding mixed reality glasses so users will be able to get real-time information about their “pet” and their activities. The renders show a friendly-looking dog so it will be a much welcome companion for astronauts who may be missing their actual pet or are in dire need of companionship. It even has a stretchable handle on its back so they can carry small items or users can lift it up and move them around. Laika can also be used for other non-space purposes including domestic situations.
Having pets is fun and rewarding, but as our parents warned us, it’s also a big responsibility. In addition to feeding them and cleaning after them, it’s also our job to make sure they behave properly, both in private and in public. The latter can be especially problematic when it comes to dogs with bad barking habits, making a lot of noise almost incessantly. There are many ways to teach a dog to keep quiet, but most of them end up being ineffective. Manual training is stressful for both dog and owner, while some tools or gadgets turn out to be harmful to the pet’s physical and mental well-being. With this innovative dog bark collar, however, your dog can gradually learn when to bark and when to keep quiet safely and humanely, all thanks to the power of AI.
Designers: 66 Studio, Zhe Sun & Bin Hu
Click Here to Buy Now: $59$109 (45% off). Hurry, only 247/500 left!
HushPuppy – The world’s first AI dog bark collar.
HushPuppy can help you train your dogs to learn to be quiet at the correct times and locations.
Dogs can be a person’s best friend, but just like humans, they can have different temperaments and behaviors. Unfortunately, some dogs develop what people call nuisance or excessive barking, which can sometimes be triggered by random everyday sounds or objects. Bark collars are growing in popularity as a way to train dogs not to bark at certain times, but they aren’t always effective and can even be excessive, defeating the purpose of training and causing the poor dog more stress and anxiety. By utilizing cutting-edge AI, the HushPuppy bark collar can be smart in detecting your dog’s barking and safely guide your faithful companion to better behavior.
AI soundprint detection accurately recognizes dog bark, leading to an interruption of barking behavior.
Through repeated interruption, the dog learns to quiet down so you can enjoy a peaceful life once more.
NFSF technology ensures that the collar won’t easily capture a dog’s bark more than 5 feet away.
Unlike most bark collars in the market, HushPuppy uses tiny AI models installed right onto the collar’s chip to detect sounds and differentiate a dog’s bark from other indoor and outdoor sounds such as alarms, car horns, doors, and even people laughing. This prevents a “false alarm” that would have otherwise triggered the collar’s conditioning effect incorrectly. HushPuppy boasts 99.1% accuracy and, thanks to Adaptive Sound Detection (ASD) and High Precision Computational Audio (HPCA) technology, it can even identify your dog’s bark in a noisy environment. Even better, a state-of-the-art Near-Field Sound Filter (NFSF) ignores barking that is more than 5 feet away, which means a nearby dog’s barking won’t incorrectly trigger the collar either.
Warning mode (white LED) and training mode (blue LED).
When HushPuppy does detect your dog barking, it will send a safe “reminder” to tell your dog not to bark, applying the principles of Pavlovian behavioral conditioning to discourage dogs from this kind of behavior. In training mode, this comes as a vibration and a beep. In warning mode, however, a mild static stimulus is also added to the response. This static stimulus is delivered by a single AAA battery at a fixed electricity level to ensure the safety of the dog while still delivering a memorable nudge to help develop good behavior. Over time, this repetition will help the dogs form a positive association so that they will quiet down when they hear or feel the stimulus.
In addition to a safe training method, HushPuppy is also designed to be completely safe and comfortable to wear. No metal parts are exposed and a conductive soft silicone gel is used instead, ensuring that the collar is soft on the skin and free of potential allergic reactions and unsafe edges. It’s so easy to use, there isn’t even a manual power button! The collar immediately springs into action once it detects a bark, and then goes into a low-energy standby mode when no more barks are heard. Thanks to this smart operation, it can last up to 300 days on standby or 21 days of regular daily use, all on a single AAA battery. With the AI-driven HushPuppy, your canine companion will be able to learn good barking habits in a smart and safe way, saving both you and your precious pet from embarrassment and stress.
Click Here to Buy Now: $59$109 (45% off). Hurry, only 247/500 left!
Having pets is fun and rewarding, but as our parents warned us, it’s also a big responsibility. In addition to feeding them and cleaning after them, it’s also our job to make sure they behave properly, both in private and in public. The latter can be especially problematic when it comes to dogs with bad barking habits, making a lot of noise almost incessantly. There are many ways to teach a dog to keep quiet, but most of them end up being ineffective. Manual training is stressful for both dog and owner, while some tools or gadgets turn out to be harmful to the pet’s physical and mental well-being. With this innovative dog bark collar, however, your dog can gradually learn when to bark and when to keep quiet safely and humanely, all thanks to the power of AI.
Designers: 66 Studio, Zhe Sun & Bin Hu
Click Here to Buy Now: $59$109 (45% off). Hurry, only 247/500 left!
HushPuppy – The world’s first AI dog bark collar.
HushPuppy can help you train your dogs to learn to be quiet at the correct times and locations.
Dogs can be a person’s best friend, but just like humans, they can have different temperaments and behaviors. Unfortunately, some dogs develop what people call nuisance or excessive barking, which can sometimes be triggered by random everyday sounds or objects. Bark collars are growing in popularity as a way to train dogs not to bark at certain times, but they aren’t always effective and can even be excessive, defeating the purpose of training and causing the poor dog more stress and anxiety. By utilizing cutting-edge AI, the HushPuppy bark collar can be smart in detecting your dog’s barking and safely guide your faithful companion to better behavior.
AI soundprint detection accurately recognizes dog bark, leading to an interruption of barking behavior.
Through repeated interruption, the dog learns to quiet down so you can enjoy a peaceful life once more.
NFSF technology ensures that the collar won’t easily capture a dog’s bark more than 5 feet away.
Unlike most bark collars in the market, HushPuppy uses tiny AI models installed right onto the collar’s chip to detect sounds and differentiate a dog’s bark from other indoor and outdoor sounds such as alarms, car horns, doors, and even people laughing. This prevents a “false alarm” that would have otherwise triggered the collar’s conditioning effect incorrectly. HushPuppy boasts 99.1% accuracy and, thanks to Adaptive Sound Detection (ASD) and High Precision Computational Audio (HPCA) technology, it can even identify your dog’s bark in a noisy environment. Even better, a state-of-the-art Near-Field Sound Filter (NFSF) ignores barking that is more than 5 feet away, which means a nearby dog’s barking won’t incorrectly trigger the collar either.
Warning mode (white LED) and training mode (blue LED).
When HushPuppy does detect your dog barking, it will send a safe “reminder” to tell your dog not to bark, applying the principles of Pavlovian behavioral conditioning to discourage dogs from this kind of behavior. In training mode, this comes as a vibration and a beep. In warning mode, however, a mild static stimulus is also added to the response. This static stimulus is delivered by a single AAA battery at a fixed electricity level to ensure the safety of the dog while still delivering a memorable nudge to help develop good behavior. Over time, this repetition will help the dogs form a positive association so that they will quiet down when they hear or feel the stimulus.
In addition to a safe training method, HushPuppy is also designed to be completely safe and comfortable to wear. No metal parts are exposed and a conductive soft silicone gel is used instead, ensuring that the collar is soft on the skin and free of potential allergic reactions and unsafe edges. It’s so easy to use, there isn’t even a manual power button! The collar immediately springs into action once it detects a bark, and then goes into a low-energy standby mode when no more barks are heard. Thanks to this smart operation, it can last up to 300 days on standby or 21 days of regular daily use, all on a single AAA battery. With the AI-driven HushPuppy, your canine companion will be able to learn good barking habits in a smart and safe way, saving both you and your precious pet from embarrassment and stress.
Click Here to Buy Now: $59$109 (45% off). Hurry, only 247/500 left!
When strolling through a park or a mall, you see a lot of fur parents proudly showing off their pets. You also see a lot of people fawning over cute puppies and dogs and sometimes even running around with them. But would you be willing to run around with a robotic dog that seems to be running on its own without a human controlling it? My first instinct would probably be to run away from it or to think that our robot overlords will actually be canines. But for those who are interested in robotics, this would be something worth checking out.
Designer: Mickaël Achkar at CREATE Lab
A robotics student from the EPFL research insitute in Switzerland has been able to create a robotic dog that doesn’t require control motors and can actually run on its own once you get it started. The bilaterally symmetric robot dog actually uses motion-capture data from real dogs to be able to have a more realistic albeit mechanical motion. This data was usde to guide the design as well.
The robot dog uses various materials like metal rods for its bones, thin steel cables to represent the tendons, and 3D-printed polymer pulleys for its joints. Each of its for legs have three joints that are mechanically coordinated with each other, based on what real dogs’ joints have which lets it run like an actual dog goes. There’s also a pendulum-like counterweight that actually keeps the dog running once you get it started.
For other actions like jumping and stepping over objects, and other broader motions, it still has to use its control motors. The goal of this prototype is to basically modify the passive properties that most robotic designs have so that only simple control systems will be needed. Still, I would probably run away from robotic dogs for now, especially one that seems to be running on its own. But studies and inventions like this can be useful in creating other robotic body parts that are more bio-based.
Chinese tech company Unitree has once again amazed the world of robotics with the launch of its second-generation robot dog companion, the Go2. This remarkable robotic creation is designed to follow you around at jogging speeds, perform impressive gymnastic feats, and even engage in conversation using a GPT-enabled system that can write code on the fly.
Designer: Unitree
The Unitree Go2 stands at a compact 40 cm (16 inches) tall and weighs approximately 15 kg (33 lb). It’s sturdy aluminum and high-strength plastic chassis can carry more than half its own weight as payload, making it a versatile companion for various tasks. The robot dog has advanced sensors, including super wide-angle LiDAR and HD cameras, allowing it to map and navigate its surroundings in real-time. This enables the Go2 to walk alongside its owner, avoiding obstacles and adapting to challenging terrains like stairs and rocks. It can run for an hour or two on a battery charge.
One of the most impressive features of the Go2 is its athletic capabilities. With motors that boast 30% more torque than the previous model, the Go2 can perform jaw-dropping jumps, backflips, and even dance on two crossed-over legs. Its exceptional balance allows it to stand on its front two legs and gracefully navigate downstairs.
The Pro model of the Go2 also incorporates a GPT-enabled speech engine, allowing users to have natural language conversations with the robot. Beyond just understanding and responding to verbal requests, the robot attempts to write code for itself, interpreting the user’s intentions and seeking ways to be helpful. While the practical utility of this feature may be limited at the current stage, it showcases the potential for more advanced interactions in the future.
The Go2’s pricing starts at $1,600 for the base model, capable of reaching speeds of 5.6 mph (9 km/h), while the Pro model, priced at $2,800, can go up to 7.8 mph (12.6 km/h). However, the total cost is slightly higher when factoring in additional fees such as the $400 shipping charge and a 25% duty for orders in the USA. Despite this, the Go2 offers an affordable alternative to Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot dog, which costs significantly more, around $75,000.
While the Go2 presents a novel and technologically advanced robotic companion, it may still find its most prominent user base among individuals seeking entertainment and attention. Its ability to capture selfies and pick up items with its robotic arm may be considered practical features. Still, the true allure of the Go2 lies in its entertaining and attention-grabbing capabilities. The capabilities of helping around the house or around with chores are limited as it’s seen replacing getting a glass of water for a quirky dance.
For those seeking an additional layer of security, the Go2 can serve as a guard for your home, showcasing its potential for safety purposes. It can also be helpful for carrying items around and assisting with chores. The absence of the need for constant attention and its self-replicating capabilities add to its appeal as a convenient companion. With user authorization, via OTA Upgrades, the Go2 robot keeps improving and evolving to be smarter as the robot automatically connects to a cloud-based OTA service to upgrade its own programs to continuously improve the user experience.
However, as remarkable as the Go2 is, it cannot replace the innocence and loyalty of conventional pets. Pets often win our hearts with their quirks and acts of loyalty, something that robots may struggle to replicate fully. Nonetheless, the Go2 can coexist with traditional pets, providing a different set of advantages and becoming a complementary addition to the household.
Unitree’s Go2 robot dog represents a significant advancement in robotic companionship, combining agility, conversation, and helpfulness in an affordable package. While it may not replace the charm of a living, breathing pet, it undoubtedly brings a unique blend of technological wonders and entertainment value to those who embrace it. As we continue to witness the evolution of robotics and AI, the Go2 showcases a promising glimpse of the future of human-robot interaction.
