iRobot's Founder Builds Robots Designed to Be Your Companion

Colin Angle, who spent three decades running iRobot, has launched a new company called Familiar Machines & Magic. It's building four-legged robots that use artificial intelligence to develop their own personalities and form emotional connections with their owners. The machines run their computing on-board—no cloud needed—and aim at companionship, caring for the elderly, and entertainment. The shift reflects a move away from task-focused utility robots.