I wouldn’t say she’s been dethroned, but Milumi, a persistent fluff ball with staring problems, is in serious competition for the title of cutest robot at CES 2025. I just met my wide-eyed fellow Loppet. A robot with warm, soft fur, tiny flapping arms, and big emotions. And damn, it’s adorable.
Ropet’s only mission is to love and be loved. Think of it like a living stuffed animal. It has a personality, will listen to your deepest darkest secrets without judgment, and will reach out and hold you when you’re sad. The appearance is customizable and there is optional ChatGPT integration, so you can use it if you want to have advanced conversations with your robot, but it’s not mandatory. Its little button nose is a camera used to recognize faces and objects. Loppets can identify and bond more closely with their owners, but they also remember other people. All this data is stored and processed locally. This means that your data never leaves the device itself.
If you don’t trust it (fairness), you can leave Ropet completely disconnected from the internet. Still, it can perform all functions except ChatGPT. This includes responding to voice, touch, and gesture input. When you pet or hug them, their expressions become visibly happy. Or maybe you look grumpy when you wave it around. (What are you, bad guy? Don’t do that). Show it one of the dozens of objects it knows, such as a hot dog or a banana, and the emoji will pop up in its eyes. If you give them the “quiet” signal and get them to be quiet, they will dance along with you while you listen to the music.
Engadget’s Carissa Bell
We’re in the middle of CES week and everyone is running on fumes, but Ropet has brought a few minutes of unexpected, childlike glee to this burnt gremlin. Emotional companion robots are ubiquitous at CES, but robots that are actually reasonably intelligent usually don’t offer much cuddles. And the snuggles are usually not very smart and tend to look more like animatronics. Loppet looks like a fluffy baby seal, but it’s not so realistic that it dips into uncanny valley territory. Its body then generates heat to simulate the feeling of holding a living creature.
I can’t help but compare it to Furby. Furby is perhaps the most well-known example of a robotic animal pet that responds to voice and touch commands. But Ropet takes the whole idea to another level. You can change the eye color in the app, and if you want to mix and match or can’t decide on a look, you can buy different faceplates and fur. There are also small costumes available for purchase.
Ropet’s Kickstarter campaign managed to raise $228,091, well above its $1,285 goal, so I’m not the only one who thinks this little guy looks pretty promising. There are two purchasing options for those interested. The Ropet Basic ($299) comes with a case and a USB-C charging cord, while the Ropet Pro ($329) comes with those things plus a charging base with light effects. Rotate the Ropet slightly. Kickstarter doesn’t end until January 21st, so if you can get your hands on it before then, you can get it for a lot cheaper. Early orders are expected to begin shipping in March, and the remainder will be available globally later this year.
Now we’ll have to wait and see if Loppet follows in Furby’s footsteps and develops its own slightly sinister lore that will survive for decades to come.
