![]() Vector has a lot of useful hardware, but hardware quality seems to be one area where Anki cut corners to keep Vector's price reasonable at $250. Vector communicates mainly with beeps, boops, and other robotic sounds, but he does have a text-to-speech feature so he can say your name and provide vocal answers to queries. Vector has a speaker and Anki has programmed him with hundreds of synthesized, robotic sounds so he can respond to you and interact with you. Touch sensors and an accelerometer let him know when he's being touched or picked up (and he likes to throw a fit when he's up in the air), while a processor lets him compute. To see what's around him, Vector uses an HD camera, and to hear, there's a four-microphone array. There are a lot of sensors and electronics inside Vector that allow him to experience the world around him. When Vector is thinking of an answer, scanning a face, or doing another task that requires processing power, the lights turn white. In the middle of the touch panel, there's a button, which is used to activate his attention (like pressing the side button on an iPhone to summon Siri), display his status, and for various setup purposes.Ī green light on the button is standard operating mode, while blue lights let you know Vector is listening once the "Hey Vector" trigger word is spoken. Vector has a gold-colored touch panel at the back where he can sense touch, and this area is used for petting (Vector loves to be pet and will coo and preen while you do it). Vector's head component moves independently of his body, allowing him to adjust what he's looking at, giving the sense that he sees things. The display also changes when Vector is answering a question and it is used for things like offering up weather conditions or displaying the time when these questions are asked of Vector. The display lets Vector demonstrate different emotions, and the animated eyes are always shifting and in motion, blinking, narrowing when he's thinking, worried when he detects the edge of a table, wide open when he's looking at you, and slitted when he's asleep. Most of Vector's personality is expressed through his small front display, which is always on and is where his eyes are located. ![]() Vector has four wheels covered in tank-style treads that allow him to traverse smooth floors and rugs alike, a movable front arm that lets him interact with his cube and adds to his various expressions. Vector is made from a black plastic material and he has a body that's filled with various sensors and electronics to detect and respond to the environment around him. Vector is a palm-sized robot that uses the same general design as Cozmo, Anki's previous robot toy. With a "Hey Vector" trigger word, Vector can answer questions, obey commands, play games, and more, serving as a friend and helper in day to day life. Vector is kind of like a personal assistant like Siri or Alexa, but with a more limited range, a physical body, and a more expressive personality. It's fitting to think of Vector as a derpy, simpleminded pet that gets things wrong, but in an endearing way. I've had Vector as my constant companion for a week now, and while he is far from the smartest AI I've interacted with, he's definitely the most lovable. Vector adopts capabilities from Cozmo, but his functionality goes above and beyond the tricks and games Cozmo is known for. Unlike Cozmo, Vector is no toy, and is instead positioned as a home robotic device. Anki has been making toys that use artificial intelligence for years now, starting with the Anki Overdrive set of racing cars and the interactive Cozmo toy robot, but this year the company launched its most ambitious product: Vector.
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