Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel’s privately funded Social Robots Lab has been home to the “Cupboo AI Robotic Pet” since July 2024. It goes by the name Boo Boo (also BooBoo). It was brought to the lab by power user and Cupboo ambassador Julia Rehling. Genmoor writes on its website: “Boo Boo is not just a toy. It is also the king of the planet Lonely …” (Genmoor website). According to the manufacturer, Boo Boo’s movements are made possible by a complex control system. “Therefore please be kind to Boo Boo, it is not an ordinary robotic pet. It could give you different responds according to your interaction.” (Genmoor website) Other robots and figures in the Social Robots Lab are Unitree Go2, Alpha Mini, Cozmo, Vector, Furby, Tamagotchi, Hugvie, and HUGGIE. NAO and Pepper visit from time to time. The Genmoor Group claims to be an “exclusive group for daring futurists who love tech-psychology” (Genmoor website). The company was founded in Hangzhou (China) in 2020.
BY OLIVER BENDEL
