Out of the box you need to charge Cozmo. This takes around 30 minutes to do - this equates to around 90 minutes' play time - which gives you enough time to connect up Cozmo to its accompanying app. There is immediate recognition of pets. Like people, the toy loves cats and dogs and immediately can differentiate between the two. The numbers for the code are tiny, but the idea is that you tap them in then the device is secure and you should only have to do it once, unless it decided to reset itself.

Meet Cozmo, the pint-sized bot with all the makings of the

Once done - it's a tad laborious - the app, which is available for both iOS and Android, is hooked up to your Cozmo and you can play... and that's when the fun really starts. Performance Combined with facial recognition software, the latter feature means it’s capable of recognising, remembering, and reacting to up to 10 different faces, as well as interacting intelligently with its surroundings. The bot can be used as a standard RC car via the companion app for Android and iOS (‘Explorer’ mode), but Cozmo will also throw down the gauntlet and challenge you to games, wearing its emotions on its 128 x 64 pixel display…sorry, face.

Artificial intelligence, genuine moments

The system uses an internal Lithium-ion battery. Average charge time is roughly 30-minutes from an entirely drained state.

Digital Dream Labs - Cozmo

The vision capabilities are quite robust. These cameras work as tools like nothing else in the consumer robotics industry. Not that Cozmo relies on an app to interact with. While it’s required for setting up the robot and pulling off certain functions (like an “Explorer” mode that turns Cozmo into a robo RC vehicle), Cozmo is most fun when interacting with of its own accord. This unique programmability widely expands the functional use of the toy. It goes beyond a hard-wired mechanical device such as those used in assembly lines, which can only perform pre-programmed functions. With an onboard CPU, a 30fp VGA camera, four motors and over fifty gears, Cozmo is able to recognise up to ten faces (including pets!) and react accordingly, remembering the interactions it had with each individual. Type your name into the app, have Cozmo map your face, and you’ll have your jaw drop when it rolls over to your and bleep your name out in a charmingly synthesised little voice. Toy time And if that’s not enough, then the Cozmo SDK means you can tinker to your heart’s content with the toy using the Python programming language – or just use it as a gateway to learn to code.

The latest app update is a significant one for both old and new users. It essentially makes Cozmo needy. Anki has gone down the Tamagotchi route of having to cater to your Cozmo to make sure it is getting the attention it craves. Cozmo is comprised of no less than 360 components, including four motors, 50 gears, an integrated CPU, and a 30fps VGA camera. By using Cosmo’s app, there are 32 set challenges to spur ideas. However, users in the Code Lab can explore an endless array of unique experiences to try on their toy. You see, Cozmo is a real-life robot like you've only seen in movies, with a one-of-a-kind personality that evolves the more you hang out. He'll nudge you to play and keep you constantly surprised. More than a companion, Cozmo’s a collaborator. He’s your accomplice in a crazy amount of fun. The internal memory is as real-life as any. The robot can be fed up to 30 characters at a time and goes through a rather amusing process to learn proper pronunciation.