[Art]

There are litter bots, mower bots, rain gutter bots, vacuum bots, sprayer bots, ping-pong bots (trainerbot) sprinkler bots, service & housekeeping bots in hospitals and motels, bartender bots, cooking bots and many other types of bots.

What I've attempted to put together is a fairly wide assortment of digital assistant bot, robot or companion bot, Some with "personalities" and some, not so much.

We already know about Google Now, Alexa and Siri, the digital helpers on our mobile devices and desktops.

Also listed are a few of these that were on the techno edge have sadly fallen or are in the process of falling, due to lack of marketing, funding, production issues or all of the above.

For what its worth and in no particular order:

http://makerarm.com/ (This arm can make & do all sorts of things)

https://www.ald.softbankrobotics.com/en

http://www.bluefrogrobotics.com/en/buddy/

http://www.robotis.com/xe/darwin_en



http://cubicrobotics.com/

http://branto.co/#promo

http://5elementsrobotics.com/ (Budgee & Dash)

http://www.myfuro.com/?ckattempt=1

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/moorebot-the-coolest-animated-personal-assistant-robot#/

https://www.ald.softbankrobotics.com/en/cool-robots/romeo

http://www.roboticstrends.com/article/meet_pillo_your_personal_home_health_robot

http://www.robit.io/

http://global.kawada.jp/mechatronics/hrp4.html

http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/

https://www.willowgarage.com/pages/pr2/overview

http://www.icub.org/

https://www.engineeredarts.co.uk/robothespian/

http://www.dongburobot.com/jsp/cms/view.jsp?code=100796

http://wowwee.com/chip

http://www.aidorobot.com/

https://zenbo.asus.com/

http://mjirobotics.co.jp/en/



https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Echo-Bluetooth-Speaker-with-WiFi-Alexa/dp/B00X4WHP5E
also the Amazon Dot and wireless Amazon Tap. Battery extensions are available.

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From the Not so good department:

https://www.jibo.com/#can-do (their Price is not the initial $499. It's now $750 USD and they have cancelled orders to anywhere outside the US and Canada. Not a good business plan and a lot of people are quite unhappy. Don't make promises you can't keep).

https://www.facebook.com/EmoSparkCommunity/ (Servers taken down as of Sept. 6 2015 - People who did receive them found that they were pretty much dead on arrival - non-functional).

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/607691307/ubi-the-ubiquitous-computer-voice-activated-and-al-0 (Ubi has been slowly turning its wheels for quite some time, never seeming to gain momentum - kind of a plug-in-the-wall Alexa device).

[kei10]

Thanks for putting up a delightful list!

Although, not surprising that most digital assistant bots have similar function of ones from the mobile phones today like Google Now, Siri (iOS), and Cortana (Windows 10) that seem to be ones that I am aware of.

That being said, beside the poor management of finance, and the cost; the business could be brought down by the probability of poor sales, as not everyone are actually has much attention into these slow and probably-noisy clunky metals that have already similar roles from their mobile phones, and the lack of portability they couldn't carry them anywhere they go.

While the handy digital assistant bots are still there standing conventional, it is great for bot-enthusiasts!

[Art]

Agreed Kei10. I initially thought about separating the list into various groups of similar constructs or abilities, then again, I thought, why bother.

And yes, if I need a question answered here at home or while driving, I have my trusty Google Now. She has saved my sanity and traffic dilemmas on more than one occasion. "Take me home" has been uttered to my phone several times in a large city during rush hour with traffic accidents blocking the normal route home! Oh yeah!

Personally, I don't need a plugin device or cute tiny robot waiting for my cue for assistance. I've a smart phone nearby or with me. If a family member needs me or directions, reminders, appointments, discount coupons, scanning products, photos, messages, calculator (digit or verbal), measurements, level, distance, walking steps, heart rate, alarms, weather forecasts, etc. There's practically nothing that my phone can't assist me with. (within reason). Times have changed.

We'll still need robots and other types of assistants. Maybe a universal A.I. to ultimately run the world...but hopefully, not anytime soon!!