Ride-on Unicorn robot: A quadruped companion for kids

newatlas.com

18 points·geox··7 comments

"And where were you twenty years ago? Ten years ago? Where were you when I was new? When I was one of those innocent young maidens you always come to? How dare you! How dare you come to me now, when I am this!"

-- Molly Grue, The Last Unicorn (1982)

But seriously, this seems creepy and unlikely to me. Oh, I'm sure someone could sell a few units for novelty, but I don't see it surpassing existing products in that niche, like those small ride-on electric "cars" for kids.

For one thing, that's a much higher and more precarious position for the little driver (or the whole unit) to fall down from.

Both of my daughters would have given their right arms for one of these if they'd existed when they were kids. I suspect my kids aren't unique in this.

On the other hand, there's no way I'd have allowed them to have one, out of safety concerns.

In the wider marketplace, I wonder which force would win out?

I expect the wider-marketplace to be dominated by parents who don't want to spend $1k-3k. :P

Also, it seems like the wrong fusion of functionalities. If there were a bunch of passable robo-friends for your kids on the market, wouldn't you want one that a child can hold during a car-ride and bring into the waiting room at the doctor's office? Something that isn't such a big battery-fire hazard to keep indoors while sleeping?

There's a reason teddy bears and tricycles are separate toys.

Ah, a Chevaline.

I want one so bad I've wanted one since I read Diamond Age I'm an adult but ahhh

Military has entered the chat "Child soldiers on robotic dogs, you say? Tell me more..."

Literally "killer" imo.

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