Former Xiaomi co-founder Lin Bin has created a new startup called Letianpai, and his first big product is a robot that can respond to user requests and react expressively to interactions with people thanks to its AI-based software.
The desktop robot is 15 cm tall and its head is made up of a circular screen with a diameter of 6 cm. It only has two movable legs that give it mobility on flat surfaces.
Known as "the optimistic robot", the gadget can function as both a companion and a personal assistant.
It is connected to the internet through an application for phones and has microphones and haptic sensors to understand the instructions of the users.
According to the company, the little robot is designed to interact with people and improve their moods through their 'happy' expressions.
"It is the first real desktop companion artificial intelligence robot, which provides company for entertainment, life, study, work, it is a company for children and it will have other functions," the company said in a statement.
In its first promotional videos, it is observed that the Letianpai robot interacts directly with the user; it tries to relieve him of stress and gives him reminders to improve his health.
Letianpai's optimistic robot doesn't have advanced features to keep an organic conversation going, but it could do it as long as the uptake of the product is good.
The company created its own operating system based on a modified version of Android which they called GeeUI. This will distribute the code to external developers so that both users and other companies can extend the capabilities of the robot.
In the promotional material, Letianpai claims that its product has AI, but it does not specify which model of artificial intelligence it integrates, or on which technology it is based.
At the moment, the gadget has three modes of interaction. The electronic pet mode which is where the robot will show off walking around the desk making the user laugh and relaxing him in the process; the functional mode, where it will transform into a virtual assistant, and finally it offers a hybrid mode where it exchanges functions and expressiveness.
Letianpai's robot will go on sale on July 26 in the Chinese market and will cost 1,799 yuan or $271 at current exchange rates.
