Cute Android Fauna Sprout Unveiled
Credit: Fauna Robotics
Fauna Robotics unveiled the Sprout robot, designed for learning programming and equipped with systems that work right out of the box.
Sprout is designed to be easy to program, making it particularly useful for research purposes. It comes with software libraries that help it scan its surroundings, navigate autonomously, work with large AI language models, and perform other operations. It also supports remote control, which will prove useful for training. Researchers at New York University have already included it in a program to study new ways to control robots and interact with humans. Fauna engineers have also developed technology that helps Sprout regain its balance when it trips.
Sprout was designed with human interaction in mind—the robot even has eyebrows that help it feign interest, surprise, or confusion. The company’s CEO, Robert Cochran, previously worked at Meta; other team members are former Googlers. AI systems capable of object recognition, such as those found in smart glasses, will also prove useful for robots in human environments.
Sprout costs $50,000. While this is a significant amount for the average consumer, it represents a compelling proposition for the industry.
The primary customers are expected to be universities, research centers, and inventors who lack the resources to create their own robotics platform.
