Robotic meerkat offers emotional support: Sharp presents the Poketomo
AI chatbots like ChatGPT are increasingly used to combat loneliness. Sharp Poketomo is now intended to serve this market by packaging Sharp's proprietary CE-LLM chatbot into a small robot. The device weighs 7 oz and stands 4.7 inches tall, and it looks like a meerkat.
The robot is equipped with a speaker, two microphones and a camera, which allows it to talk to users. Poketomo can also initiate conversations on its own and offer words of encouragement. Poketomo is designed to remember all past conversations and have access to data such as visited locations to personalize the chatbot as much as possible. The color of the LED ring on the robot's stomach changes depending on its mood.
The robot is powered by a USB-C cable, but it can also be used on the go thanks to an integrated battery. When you're not close to the robot, you can chat with it via text message using the corresponding smartphone app. That being said, Poketomo offers just a few typical voice assistant features, as Sharp states that the robot primarily focuses on showing empathy to support users during emotional times.
Price and availability
The so-called Sharp Conversational AI Character Poketomo (SR-C01M-W) will launch in Japan in November 2025. Details on the price and a potential global release are still pending. The AI assistant will also be offered as a smartphone app, which requires a subscription of roughly $3 per month.
Source(s)
Sharp (press release | product page)
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