I wouldn't say he was dethroned, but Mirumi is a clingy little furball with a stare problem. — now there is serious competition for the title of the cutest robot on CES 2025. I just met Ropet, a wide-eyed robotic companion with warm soft fur, small waving arms and big feelings. And damn, this thing is adorable.
Ropet's only mission is to love and be loved. Think of it as a living bun; he has personality, will listen to your deepest and darkest secrets without judgment, and will reach out to hug you when you're sad. Its appearance is customizable, and it has optional ChatGPT integration, so it's there if you want it for advanced robot conversations, but you're not forced into it. His little button nose is a camera that he uses to recognize faces and objects; Ropet may identify and become attached to its owner more closely, but it will also remember other people. All this data is stored and processed locally, meaning it never leaves the device itself.
If you don't trust it (rightly), you can disconnect Ropet from the Internet entirely and it will still be able to perform all of its functions except ChatGPT. This includes responding to sound, touch and gestures. If you pet him or hug him, his facial expression will change to one of visible happiness. Or he may look grumpy if you shake him. (Are you angry? Don't do this). Show him one of the dozens of objects he knows, like a hot dog or a banana, and you'll see a smiley face pop up in his eyes. You can give him the quiet sign to calm him down, and he will dance if you are listening to music.
We're in that CES week where we're all pissed off, and Ropet brought a few minutes of unexpected childish fun to this burnt-out gremlin. Emotional robotic companions are everywhere at CES, but the ones that actually have some intelligence tend to not be all that friendly. And those that cuddle together are usually not very smart and look more like animatronics. Ropet resembles a furry seal—but isn't realistic enough to dive into uncanny valley territory—and his body radiates warmth, simulating the feeling of owning a living creature.
It's hard not to draw comparisons to Furby, which is probably the most famous example of a robotic pet that responds to voice and touch commands. But Ropet takes the whole idea to another level. You can change his eye color in the app, as well as buy different faceplates and fur if you want to mix things up or just can't decide what you want him to look like. Small outfits are also available for purchase.
Ropet's Kickstarter campaign managed to raise $228,091, well over its $1,285 goal, so I'm definitely not the only one who thinks this little guy looks pretty promising. For anyone interested, there are two purchasing options: the Ropet Basic ($299) with a case and USB-C charging cord, and the Ropet Pro ($329) with those items and a charging base with lighting effects. and allows Ropet to turn a little. The Kickstarter doesn't end until January 21st, so if you get there early, you can get it for significantly less. Early orders are expected to begin shipping in March, with the remainder expected to go on sale later this year.
Now we sit back and see if Ropet follows in Furby's footsteps to develop his own slightly sinister story that will endure for decades to come.