During The Wall Street Journal’s ‘The Future of Everything Festival’, Angle introduced the initial product from his new venture, Familiar Machines & Magic. The focus of this company is to create robots that extend beyond mere cleaning duties and emotionally engage with their users.
The creator of the famous robot vacuum is now crafting robots that forge an emotional bond with their owners.
Colin Angle presented the first product of his new startup, Familiar Machines & Magic, at WSJ’s Future of Everything.
???? Read more: pic.twitter.com/y5kiM8lDAv
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) May 4, 2026
In contrast to the Roomba, this new robot is designed to serve as a companion. It resembles a furry, four-legged creature with large, expressive eyes and exhibits dog-like behavior.
The robot, named Familiar, doesn’t converse or function as a smart assistant but can respond to human actions and emotions. It is engineered to react to your feelings, respond to your treatment, and cultivate a form of emotional attachment with you.
ALSO READ | Humanoid robots to start work at Japan airports in May 2026; what comes next
“This isn’t simply a robot pet,” he asserts. “It doesn’t act as a smart assistant either. While it won’t speak, it will react to your actions and emotions in an emotionally intelligent manner,” said Angle.
He continued, “I aspire to establish a relationship between humans and machines that is fundamentally different from the relationship between the Roomba and its user. I want to create a sense that the machine I’m designing truly cares about me.”
Angle and his team named their robot Familiar to reflect the ideal of animal companions in folklore that remain close to and support their owners.
The Familiar is crafted to pick up on elements such as your tone of voice, body language, and overall mood, responding in a way that feels organic. Rather than following commands or speaking like a smart assistant, it communicates through movement and behavior.
In the near future, the company aims to leverage these robots to assist individuals in monitoring loved ones, like elderly parents living alone or dependent adults. “The company is also interested in selling Familiars to those wanting to enhance their own well-being. Eventually, the company hopes to license its emotionally intelligent AI to other enterprises,” explains Angle.
ALSO READ | This Chinese robot can wake you up, prepare breakfast and even clean your house: All about Panther
The concept of robot companions is not novel, as many have faltered in the past. Products like Sony Aibo, Pleo by Ugobe, and Jibo struggled to maintain a foothold in the market. However, co-founder Chris Jones is optimistic this time due to advancements in artificial intelligence.
“In the past, even devices like the Roomba from iRobot had difficulty recognizing basic objects. Now, with AI systems, they can interpret facial expressions, gestures, and behavior,” he added.
Currently, the version showcased at The Future of Everything Festival is still an early prototype, so specifics such as price, launch date, and final design remain unconfirmed.
