Smartphones have made keeping in touch with your children and elders so much simpler for us. However, sometimes the elderly are not able to master the many functions of a smartphone or maybe some parents are reluctant to give their young kids smartphones, which are used more for playing than communicating. This is where the BOCCO comes in.
The BOCCO robot, designed by Yukai Engineering in Tokyo, is a simple WiFi-enabled personal robot, which solves the problem of keeping in touch with family, especially the elderly and younger kids. It has just two buttons -- "Play" and "Record". It is Bluetooth enabled and can connect to the smartphone. You can send a voicemail from your smartphone and the BOCCO robot will play it back. The cute robot's eyes light up when it receives a new message! And if someone wants to send a message, they can just record it in the BOCCO robot, and the message will be sent securely to the connected smartphones.
BOCCO robot also have an additional feature -- a motion sensor, which can be attached to the door, so you can get a signal on your smartphone if your child might head in or out of the door.
Right now Yukai Engineering is trying to raise money on Kickstarter to bring BOCCO robot to the international market.
Personal Robot Phones
The BOCCO Robot Makes Sending Messages Easier Than Traditional Cell Phones
Trend Themes
1. Personal Robot Assistants - Developing personal robot assistants to cater to those unable to operate smartphones can lead to disruptive innovation in the technology industry
2. Simplifying Communication - Market for communications tech has room for growth with focus on developing simple communication devices targeting elderly and young kids
3. Innovative Home Security Devices - Developing smart home security systems by integrating motion detection technology with personal robot assistants is a major opportunity in the security industry
Industry Implications
1. Technology - BOCCO robot presents opportunities for the technology industry to innovate and simplify the way we communicate
2. Childcare - The BOCCO robot presents opportunities for parents and childcare centers to quickly communicate with one another through simplified technology
3. Security - BOCCO robot's motion detection feature can be used to develop innovative smart home security devices that cater to specific needs of seniors and parents