BOULDER, Colo. – Sphero, the Boulder-based tech company known for its connected toys like the remote-controlled Star Wars BB-8 Droid, announced it has spun off its robotics division into a new company focused on building personal robots.
The new company, Misty Robotics, has a stated goal of putting “a personal robot in every home and office.”
While that vision has been largely relegated to science fiction, the team behind Misty Robotics believes the technology is finally within reach.
Ian Bernstein, co-founder and chief technology officer at Sphero, will take on the role of head of product at Misty Robotics. He envisions a future in which we live and work with robots, treating them as members of society.
“Soon robots will be a constant touchpoint throughout our lives, becoming commonplace and serving a variety of purposes that are very different than what exists today,” Bernstein said. “We have a rough idea as to what this will look like from science fiction and glimpses of brilliance that have happened in this space.”
Does that mean we could soon see personal assistant robots like Rosie in 'The Jetsons'? Misty Robotics hasn't given any hints about what its first robot might look like, but the company has already secured $11.5 million in Series A venture funding and is now working on building out its team.
Sphero will retain its focus on “connected play” experiences. Its product lineup includes a number of Sphero, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars-branded toys that connect to a user’s smartphone.
