SoftBank Pepper
Pioneering humanoid social robot with emotion recognition — discontinued 2021, existing units still in service.
Embodied Moxie
Our Verdict: Was a genuinely impactful companion for children, but Embodied shut down in December 2024 and all Moxie robots ceased functioning. A cautionary tale about cloud-dependent consumer robotics. Community-led "OpenMoxie" rescue effort underway.
⚠ DISCONTINUED, Company Shut Down: Embodied, the maker of Moxie, abruptly closed in December 2024 after a critical funding round fell through. All Moxie robots stopped functioning because the AI relied entirely on cloud servers that were shut down. Refunds were not available due to the company’s financial situation.
Moxie was a purpose-built companion robot for children ages 5-10 that used conversational AI and social-emotional learning curricula. It ran structured daily “missions” including reading exercises, breathing techniques, and guided conversations about emotions. An open-source community effort (“OpenMoxie”) is attempting to restore basic functionality.
Child social-emotional development
Kids with social anxiety
Home learning supplement
Speech and communication practice
Specifications
| AI | Cloud-based conversational AI (OFFLINE) |
|---|---|
| Age Range | 5-10 years |
| Battery Life | 60 minutes per session |
| Sensors | Camera, microphone, touch |
| Display | Animated face display |
| Status | DISCONTINUED — servers shut down Dec 2024 |
| Original Price | $1,500 (later reduced to $800, then $650) |
Pros & Cons
A quick summary of where this model performs well and where it falls short.
Pros
- Was evidence-based social-emotional learning
- Engaging daily mission structure
- Parent progress reports via app
- Expressive and lifelike interactions
- Community rescue effort (OpenMoxie) in progress
Cons
- COMPANY SHUT DOWN — robot no longer works
- Cloud-dependent: no offline functionality
- No refunds available after closure
- Highlights risks of cloud-only consumer products
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