In the world, consumer technologies tailored to personal use are increasingly gaining ground, and it is becoming more and more difficult to create something new in this category. The LOOI robot looks like a pioneering desktop “companion” that leverages the capabilities of smartphones to offer enhanced interactivity and a touch of novelty.
The LOOI robot, created by Singapore-based TangibleFuture, is an innovative device currently in the crowdfunding stage that its inventors say will revolutionize the way we interact with technology at our desks. To do this, the desktop robot uses the capabilities of the smartphone, practically transforming it into a brain and sensing organ. The smartphone can be connected to LOOI via a magnetic connection – MagSafe for iPhones and the included magnetic ring for Android devices – so it can respond to voice commands, recognize faces, and even interact with its surroundings through the phone’s camera and processing capacity.
One of the most compelling features of LOOI is the integration of ChatGPT, which allows it to act as a real assistant that not only answers questions, but also learns from interactions, thanks to which, according to its creators, every conversation will be unique and personalized. In addition, LOOI respects users’ data protection by performing all data processing locally on the smartphone, which is a significant relief in the world of increasingly frequent data phishing and abuse.
It is important to note, however, that despite the interactive functions, LOOI primarily serves social and basic assistance purposes, but is less suitable for performing more serious tasks. Its mobility is more limited compared to more advanced home robots, which is counterbalanced by the strong emphasis on interaction and entertainment, however, for those who tend to wander off easily during work anyway, it is not certain that the small robot will help them in terms of productivity. Another disadvantage is that since the robot uses our phone, we cannot perform many phone-specific tasks during its operation, of course, apart from those that the built-in ChatGPT can help us with.
According to its creators, LOOI is not just another gadget, but offers a possible new paradigm for how to make technology more personal in our everyday environment. Although the robot’s target audience is not yet clearly defined, its approach undoubtedly offers a fresh perspective on the future of desktop assistants.
(Photo: TangibleFuture/Kickstarter)
Tags: Kickstarter project turns smartphone robot
