— Toyota Motor plans a rollout next year for a robot that sits in the palm of a hand and carries on simple conversations, the automaker said Monday.
The Japanese company will showcase the robot, dubbed “Kirobo Mini,” at the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies, or Ceatec, opening Tuesday in Chiba Prefecture. Many home-use robots are expected to be featured at the expo.
The robot, which sits 10cm high, remembers previous conversations and places visited, giving it the ability to enhance the experience. Kirobo Mini reads the user’s facial expression when it talks. It also bases discussions on information about automobiles or the home acquired over a network.