When David Hanson first unveiled his Zeno humanoid robot toy back in 2007, he anticipated selling them for around $300. A goal that was apparently a little optimistic, since five years later the first production versions are ready with a staggering price tag starting at $11,500.
https://gizmodo.com/zeno-robot-boy-may-one-day-replace-inventors-son-299463
As a result, the Robokind is no longer being positioned as a toy that only spoiled rich kids will be finding under the Christmas tree this year. Instead, its original cartoony face has been remoulded and made slightly more realistic to appeal to children, as the robot will most likely be used for research and therapy with autistic youth. But Hanson hasn’t given up on his affordable robo-kid dreams just yet. He’s promising a smaller version, more like the original concept, sometime in 2013 that should be slightly more affordable than a new car.
[Hanson Robokind via PlasticPals]
