Playing with AI! Part 3 | 'KATA Friends' that changed the atmosphere of the sales floor

Hello, this is Hoshi-mama⭐️

Today, I'm going to talk about a
new robot that arrived at our sales floor.

I'll say this right from the start.

This little one is something else.
I mean, it's not just about the features or the specs,

though those are certainly impressive...
but more than that,

“Wait a second. I'm curious about this one.”

It's that kind of type (lol).

The Poke-tomo I introduced before was a
bundle of healing that made you go “Aww, so cute!”
the moment you saw it.

But this time, the KATA Friends is a bit different.

Of course, it looks gentle and cute.
But this one doesn't just end at “cute.”

How should I put it...?

Before you know it, you're looking at it again.

That's the feeling.

The one that arrived at the sales floor this time is

SwitchBot's KATA Friends. It's a partner robot equipped with an on-device LLM,

the main unit price is 129,800 yen (tax included),

and it's a full-scale model that also requires a “Lifestyle Plan” starting at 1,980 yen per month.

At electronics retail stores, new products arrive almost every day, so
honestly, the staff is used to seeing new things.

However, the day the KATA Friends arrived, the atmosphere was a little different.

At first, everyone was just as usual.
Like, 'Oh, right, new product,' (laughs)

And yet, something was intriguing.
Even after walking past, you'd look again.

I approached with the intention of explaining it, but
I ended up just staring at it.

From the store manager to the employees, everyone was so smitten they forgot their work.

This is actually true 🤣

But rather than being smitten,
to be precise, it might be closer to 'too intriguing to ignore'.

Because this little one, just by being there,
changes the atmosphere of the sales floor a bit.

I wonder what it is.
It doesn't end with 'Oh, a cute robot arrived,'

it has the power to make you wonder what kind of personality it hasas well.

I thought that was really powerful.

Moreover, KATA Friends aren't just robots that react to voice.
They're not just robots that react to voice.

Impress Watch introduces KATA Friends as
multimodal-capable, integrating visual, auditory, and tactile senses to understandand

it is noted that they are equipped with 12 sensors under their fur.

It's said that when you pet their head, touch their ears, or hug them, they express their joy with their whole body.

Furthermore, they understand not just words, but gestures as well.

They come closer when you beckon, get happy with a thumbs-up, and take photos when you make a peace sign,

and looking at these things,
it doesn't feel like just a talking appliance.

This part, you see,
is really big for me.

With robots,
I feel that if it's just 'it's convenient' or 'it's high-performance,'
it surprisingly doesn't move your heart.

But with KATA Friends,
the more you see their reactions,

"Wait, does this little one really understand...?"
you start to wonder.

That's why people who are drawn in by their cute appearance,
get pulled in even further after that.

You can really tell when you're on the sales floor.

And what I thought was the best part,
is that this little one is the type that builds a relationship little by little.

When I looked into it,

KATA Friends
depending on the time spent together and how you interact with them,

their personality changes little by little; they might act clingy to someone who holds them often,
or keep a comfortable distance from someone who watches over them quietly.

It's designed to remember not just the faces of the family, but also how you interact with them.

That's kind of nice, isn't it? ☺️

They aren't a finished character from the start,
but their own personality grows while you are together.

Rather than using them,
it feels more like becoming friends.

If Poke-tomo is a little one that gently heals you,
KATA Friends might be the kind that captures your heart before you even realize it.

To be honest, the price isn't cute (lol).
The unit itself is129,800 yen (tax included), and you also need a monthly plan starting from 1,980 yen.

Also, while it features on-device AI that doesn't depend on a network environment,
an internet connection is required for initial setup and updatesas stated.

So,
"They're cute, so let's just get one casually♪"
is not the vibe. It's definitely a serious piece of equipment.

But even so, I'm still curious.

That's probably because
this little one isn't just a high-performance robot.

Expensive or cheap, convenient or amazing,
of course those things are important too, but
with KATA Friends, before all that,

"What would it be like to be together?"

It makes you imagine things like that.

I actually think that's quite powerful.

Moreover, in the future, integration with the SwitchBot ecosystem is also
planned, and

it's said that there's a possibility its role in our daily lives will expand going forward.

That's why this little one isn't just a topic of conversation for this moment,

but a presence that makes you curious about what will happen next as well.

What I thought while watching it on the sales floor was,
that robots are no longer just about 'what they can do'.

How they change the atmosphere of a place.
How they move people's hearts.

I realized that even that has become part of their charm.

KATA Friends were exactly that kind of companion.

They aren't just cute.
They aren't just convenient either.

And yet, before you know it, you find yourself following them with your eyes.

Even though I just came to the sales floor, its presence is already amazing.

I feel like there aren't many robots like that.

If you're interested, please,
take a look at them in the store sometime 😊

I think that before you even look at the spec sheet,
the feeling of 'this little one is interesting' will come first (lol)

Well then, that's all for today~

This was Hoshi-mama ⭐️

Can I ask you one last thing? 😊

If you were to welcome a robot into your home, which type would you choose? 👇

1. The cute type that just wants to be healed
2. The partner type that wants to build a relationship little by little every day
3. The future type that wants to create a life together from now on

Let me know in the comments with 1, 2, or 3 ✨

#HousewifeInHer50s
#AIUtilization
#TriedItOut
#PlayingWithAI
#ElectronicsRetailStore
#ContinuousPostingChallenge
#AIRobot
#PetRobot
#HealingRobot
#LetsPlayWithAI