Robot companions are no longer science fiction — and the first buyers are already here.
The idea of a robot girlfriend sounds like something from a movie, but several companies are already selling or preparing humanoids designed for companionship.
UBTECH's new U1 line comes in male and female versions, with prices ranging from about $17,600 to $145,800. The company says its AI can recognize more than 20 emotions, and 13,361 units have already been ordered.
DroidUp's Moya has synthetic skin maintained between 32 and 36°C, subtle facial expressions, and what the company describes as a 92% human-like walking motion. It's expected to cost around $173,000.
Realbotix's Aria can recognize people and objects through its vision system, hold AI-powered conversations, and swap faces in under five seconds. Its full-body version costs around $175,000, although it still rolls on a base instead of walking.
These companies are targeting companionship, emotional support, elder care, education, and customer service. The romantic angle gets the most attention, but the broader goal is to give conversational AI a physical body.
The technology is still expensive and visibly robotic, but the first wave of buyers is already here.
Author: Saikat Bhattacharya
