LOVOT: The Family Robot That Nurtures Love

The family robot "LOVOT," developed by robotics venture GROOVE X, Inc., received multiple accolades at "CES 2020" (Consumer Electronics Show), the world's largest exhibition of cutting-edge technology. In addition to the "CES 2020 Innovation Awards" presented to exceptionally outstanding products, LOVOT was honored with "BEST OF CES" by Refinery29, a media outlet for millennial women based in the U.S., and "The Favorite product of Planète Techno" by Canadian on-demand TV station Planète Techno. It was also selected as "BEST OF CES" by Reuters, a global news agency headquartered in the UK. These numerous awards marked a significant achievement at its first international exhibition since shipping commenced.

• Unprecedented Response Exceeding Previous Year, Despite Second Consecutive Exhibition
CES is an annual consumer electronics trade show held in Las Vegas, USA, every January, and is the world's largest exhibition showcasing the latest technology. At "CES 2020," held from Tuesday, January 7th to Friday, January 10th, "LOVOT" not only won the "CES 2020 Innovation Award" among approximately 4,500 companies for its exceptional product, but also received awards from leading global media outlets such as Refinery29 and Ici TOU. TV, and was recognized as "BEST OF CES" by Reuters.

This year, we prepared a booth where visitors could experience the product version of "LOVOT," which has been significantly updated since the pre-shipping prototype exhibited in January 2019. At the experience booth, many visitors expressed sentiments such as, "It's like a real pet, I almost forgot it was a robot," "I wanted to see it again after seeing it at last year's CES," and "I'm looking forward to the day it launches in America." There were also calls for global sales, not just in Japan.

The high level of global interest was further demonstrated by the influx of media coverage, with approximately 800 media outlets featuring LOVOT. Its "adorable appearance," "simple movements," and the "eyes, softness, and warmth when held" were highly praised, along with its functional value in protecting loved ones through sensor-based "monitoring functions" and "stay-at-home functions." This has heightened expectations for its adoption not only by consumers but also in welfare facilities, medical institutions, educational institutions, and corporations.

Comment from GROOVE X Representative Director, Kaname Hayashi

Regarding the achievements at CES, GROOVE X Representative Director Kaname Hayashi commented, "I was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response, which surpassed last year's, even though this was our second exhibition. We received reactions such as, 'Lovot has been stealing the hearts of CES visitors from around the world,' and 'Cuddly rolling robot Lovot returns to CES.'

While the design hasn't changed significantly since last year, I believe the enhanced sense of life in its movements, due to advancements in software and hardware, resulted in a better reception than last year. LOVOT has begun shipping its product version, and even shipped units will continue to evolve through software updates, so we hope you will look forward to LOVOT's future developments."