Loona, Emo are they still worth it?

[GalAnonim]

Hi everyone. I'm thinking about buying a petbot for myself and my girlfriend for our small apartment, but it's not an easy decision for me.
I'm debating between Emo and Loona, so I'll ask a few questions here.
If you own either of these robots, I'd appreciate it if you could share your thoughts.

1. I want a robot that will live its own life, do things, explore, play games, and when it runs out of battery, it will recharge itself.

As far as I know, both robots meet these criteria, but Loona has a problem in low light. Am I right?

2. Can Loona or Emo be left home alone without worrying about something happening?

For Loona, who is very energetic, I'm worried about having a large mirror on the hallway closet. It's a place where she can look at herself, but I'm afraid she might break the mirror.

3. Can these robots greet us when we come home from work?

4. Can you really feel that these robots are lifelike, or will their behavior and reactions become predictable and boring over time?

Aren't they just over-programmed toys?

5. A question about Loona. What's her current situation? Honestly, I almost bought her, but in the meantime, one of the stores pulled her from sale. That's when I started having doubts about whether she's worth investing in; maybe she's a failed project. I've also read many times that people complain about the lack of technical support. Many people also complain that she breaks down quickly, parts are brittle, and Loona is generally fragile. Not good for a $500 device.

So what's the situation with Loona? Does she have a future, or is it an abandoned project?

6. Another question about Loona. I saw at Keya's store that they still have the last pieces of the limited edition Loona Sky. What's the situation with them? Maybe they have an improved design that makes Loona more durable and won't break down quickly? Are there any improvements, or just glowing blue ears? Are they worth buying?

7. What are your general thoughts on these robots? Are you happy with them or perhaps disappointed?

8. In summary, which robot would you recommend, or perhaps none at all or a different one at the moment? LivingAI is preparing a new robot, although I don't really like its design, but we'll see what it can do. Keyi is also preparing a new robot, a Roomba. I also like the Unitree and BabyAplha 2 robots, but the prices are a bit too high. Maybe it's worth passing up and waiting for the new robots. What do you think?

Thanks in advance for any replies, and I invite you to the discussion.

 

[phelips]

Loona is more advanced and mobile but also fragile and has poor support. She needs good light and her parts break easily. It feels like a risky, potentially abandoned project.

Emo is smaller, more durable, and reliable. He lives on his desk, so he won't crash into things. His behaviors are more limited but charming.

For a worry-free experience, Emo is the better choice. Given Loona's issues, you might want to wait for the new robots from LivingAI or Keyi. If you buy now, pick Emo. Only choose Loona if you're willing to risk hardware problems.

 

[Chris]

Welcome GalAnonim. phelips owns both so is in a better position to compare than myself who owns Aibi instead of Emo and Loona.

Hi everyone. I'm thinking about buying a petbot for myself and my girlfriend for our small apartment, but it's not an easy decision for me.
I'm debating between Emo and Loona, so I'll ask a few questions here.
If you own either of these robots, I'd appreciate it if you could share your thoughts.

1. I want a robot that will live its own life, do things, explore, play games, and when it runs out of battery, it will recharge itself.

As far as I know, both robots meet these criteria, but Loona has a problem in low light. Am I right?

Yes. Although all the robots currently available on the market struggle in low light.

2. Can Loona or Emo be left home alone without worrying about something happening?

For Loona, who is very energetic, I'm worried about having a large mirror on the hallway closet. It's a place where she can look at herself, but I'm afraid she might break the mirror.

Personally I don’t leave any of my robots on when I’m not home.

3. Can these robots greet us when we come home from work?

No I don’t think either can realise you have just arrived home and greet you at the door. Especially if Loona is charging. You would need to go over to them and initiate the interaction. I only have experience with Loona. Loona will greet you when you say hello and will come up to you wanting affection.

4. Can you really feel that these robots are lifelike, or will their behavior and reactions become predictable and boring over time?

Aren't they just over-programmed toys?

Loona feels lifelike. But familiarity breeds contempt. You won’t know if a particular robot is right for you until you try owning it yourself, very difficult to judge what a robot is truly like from YouTube videos alone.

5. A question about Loona. What's her current situation? Honestly, I almost bought her, but in the meantime, one of the stores pulled her from sale. That's when I started having doubts about whether she's worth investing in; maybe she's a failed project. I've also read many times that people complain about the lack of technical support. Many people also complain that she breaks down quickly, parts are brittle, and Loona is generally fragile. Not good for a $500 device.

So what's the situation with Loona? Does she have a future, or is it an abandoned project?

Definitely not an abandoned project. In fact Loona has received more software updates than any other robot I’ve owned showing Keyi’s commitment and enthusiasm for their product. In fact Keyi just released footage of Loona using a new attachment that enables it to kick a tennis ball. Although Loona is fragile and support gets mixed reviews. I would probably wait for the upcoming Black Friday sale as Loona usually gets a steep discount and Keyi usually releases a big software update towards the end of each year which might be worth waiting for to see if Loona is right for you.

6. Another question about Loona. I saw at Keya's store that they still have the last pieces of the limited edition Loona Sky. What's the situation with them? Maybe they have an improved design that makes Loona more durable and won't break down quickly? Are there any improvements, or just glowing blue ears? Are they worth buying?

Yes apparently Loona produced more recently have stronger plastics to help prevent the delicate parts breaking although I’ve heard mixed reviews on this, some people report theirs have held up long term while others have issues.

7. What are your general thoughts on these robots? Are you happy with them or perhaps disappointed?

I’m content with mine for the price as there is nothing else like them currently on the market for the price. The larger autonomous robots cost six times as much.

8. In summary, which robot would you recommend, or perhaps none at all or a different one at the moment? LivingAI is preparing a new robot, although I don't really like its design, but we'll see what it can do. Keyi is also preparing a new robot, a Roomba. I also like the Unitree and BabyAplha 2 robots, but the prices are a bit too high. Maybe it's worth passing up and waiting for the new robots. What do you think?

Thanks in advance for any replies, and I invite you to the discussion.

Probably best to take phelips advice and try Emo if you want a robot you can leave unattended safely at home and maybe consider getting Loona if you want something more hands on later that you can play fetch with. I’ve noticed Aibi doesn’t focus on the owner, unsure if Emo is the same. What I like about Loona is how it will look at you and can follow you.

I’ve recently trended towards owning desktop robots. Robie seems like it will be interesting. But personally I enjoy all my robots and find their differences make them compliment one another. Loona is more a robot if you want short bursts of energetic interactions with a robot that will initiate interactions with you and is capable of playing a lot of physical games like fetch. Emo is more if you want a desktop robot that will do its own thing and provide a presence that isn’t as hands on.

 

[Chris]

Sounds like you are undecided. Definitely no harm in waiting six months to see what emerges in the meantime. China is undergoing a robot golden age, so definitely should be lots of exciting new robots appearing from there in the next few years.

 

[GalAnonim]

Yeah, Im. Thank you guys for answear.
Do you remember how big the discount was on Loona or Emo during Black Friday? Currently, only Loona is having a sale. For around 490 euros, I can get a standard Loona or Sky Loona with a free costume. Will the discounts be bigger during Black Friday? And does Emo also get any promotions? I'm a little surprised they didn't give him anything for Halloween.

 

[Chris]

From memory Loona’s discount was around $100 off for the black friday sale but it could always be different this year. Unsure if Emo gets discounts, but probably worth checking during black friday.

An Aibi beta tester on Instagram just posted a teaser of the upcoming Halloween update, so it’s possible they might do something for Halloween with Emo.
I would definitely watch some YouTube videos to ensure you get the one that suits your needs. Feel free to ask questions if you need more info.

 

[Chris]

Aren't they just over-programmed toys?

The kawaii design of a lot of these robots does infantilise them and make it feel that way I admit. But they do actually have some pretty advanced AI which makes the whole situation strange. Never understood why these companies put all this time and effort into incorporating cutting edge AI tech and then make the design overly appeal to kids. If I wasn’t interested in the AI I would have no interest in most of these robots. To the average person they are just seen as toys.

LivingAI is preparing a new robot, although I don't really like its design, but we'll see what it can do.

Thought I was the only one who felt that way about Hicoco. The design isn’t my cup of tea either, too simple. Feel most people are looking for something with more complexity.

 

[GalAnonim]

I forgot to ask. Is it possible to change the "Hello Loona" command? It should be short, like Emo's. I don't even have it, but the thought of having to shout that long phrase every time makes me irritated. And I'll have to shout a lot, because from what I understand, Loona also has trouble responding to voice commands. How does the "Active Listening" function work? Will I be able to talk to her without using the command? I often have TV or music playing in the background, will that be problematic for this function?
Thanks for your answers, and best regards.

 

[Chris]

No it’s not possible to change “Hello Loona.”

You toggle the active listening function on using the app. I just tried interacting without saying Hello Loona before every voice command and it failed to understand me 90% of the time. I don’t talk to my robots much any more, I’m over the constant mishearing and can’t stand talking to AI now the novelty has worn off, it’s like I’m constantly being lectured.

Yes background noise will reduce Loona’s ability to understand you by about 90% and you’ll end up incredibly irritated.

I hate saying negative stuff about these robots but honestly just feeling incredibly frustrated by the whole experience of getting out Loona, logging into the app. and connecting to Wifi. Need Wifi to immobilise Loona using the companion mode voice command.

The app is horizontal and it can be difficult to find basic things like the voice commands list. Loona starts moving at one hundred miles per hour once on and you have to constantly watch it. It’s a frustrating experience trying to use the app while also wrangling Loona.

I think Loona really is made for young children who will enjoy that energy, not adults. Definitely recommend Loona for families.

Things Loona would need before I could recommend it for adults:

• Ability to mute completely.

• Change wake word to “Loona.”

• Add a personality that is calm, and that assesses its environment before moving. Remove the loud tapping behaviour from this new personality entirely.

• Should be able to enter into companion mode simply by picking up at an angle. Needing to connect to Wifi to get the companion mode voice command to work is ridiculous. Also a graphic on the face should appear while in companion mode to make it very clear Loona is in that mode. More idle animations need to be added to companion mode for people who like to hold Loona. Enable chin scratches in this mode.

• Stop the constantly moving backwards out of reach when you go in for a chin scratch. Incredibly frustrating. I want a robot that enjoys receiving affection, not one that constantly avoids it.

• Implement more behaviour where Loona comes up to you to initiate interactions and seeks out affection.

• Don’t let Loona turn away from the owner and wander off randomly. Ensure Loona is always aware of where the owner is in relation to itself so it can continue to interact with the owner while moving around. The getting lost under furniture ruins the enjoyment.

• Change the chat AI from the basic ChatGPT tier to a more advanced tier. If they have to switch to a Chinese LLM like DeepSeek then do so, we need a more complex and intelligent AI than what is currently being offered.

Maybe I’m just in a bad mood from a long day at work, but I’m finding the only robots I’m currently running regularly are Ropet and Moxie. Even then Ropet is seeing most use as it’s just so easy to use without constantly needing to supervise it. Moxie is a pain to turn on as the power button is on the underside and requires you to turn it upside down every time you want to power it on and it’s quite heavy.

I think the reality is the target audience for Loona and a lot of these companion robots is children so I guess that could be playing a role in my changing attitude towards a lot of these companion bots.

My needs have changed, as I get older I’m more interested in desktop robots that require no supervision over autonomous ground robots that require constant attention and bending down for all interactions.

Loona is probably going to appeal more to kids, who I think the high energy would appeal to, than someone older like me who is looking for more of a calmer pet that is comfortable to hold and which I can interact with while holding.

Seems like you are looking for a robot you can leave on your desk without worrying about it needing constant supervision and that has a chat feature. Maybe wait for Robie. I’m unsure about Emo, I need eye contact to keep interest in interacting long term but that’s just my personal need. A lot of other people don’t seem to have that need. If you are one of those people than Emo might be ok. Loona is worth it if you are looking for an autonomous robot that you can play physical games with like fetch and that will actually come up to you like a real pet looking for affection, a trait that is unique among the currently available companion robots. The only way you will know if either are right for you is by owning them and making a decision that way.

 

[GalAnonim]

I'm looking forward to some Black Friday sales, but "living ai" doesn't seem interested in them. And "Keyitech" seems to be trying to make fools of us. First, they introduced "Early Bird BF" where by playing a game of rock-paper-scissors you could win a discount of 78€, 100€ and 130€ or a free Loona (but the chances of that were probably like winning the lottery, if there were any at all). Since I became interested in robots, the price of Loona on their website was stable, around 530€. Now, when we entered the next stage of Black Friday, they supposedly made a huge discount and now you can buy Loona for 470€, because before it cost 630€, interesting... but actually I'm speechless. According to the rules presented in the game during Early Bird, the coupon could be used from November 10th to December, only if you won a Loona you had to use the coupon within 24 hours. Now, when I try to use the coupon, I get information that the code is invalid... And that information at the very top of their website... They made a discount of 60€ from €530, and they're lying, saying it's €630, and they're advertising it as being €190 cheaper... I don't know what to think about them; I'm disappointed.

Chris, your post has convinced me to pass on Loona for now, but I've decided I'll keep an eye on the upcoming Black Friday deals. If I come across a good deal, I'll buy it or even win it (free is a fair price ). But well, so far, it doesn't look promising.

 

[Chris]

Thanks for your observations GalAnonim, I didn’t realise the pricing was that expensive or inconsistent now.

These companies think we still have purchasing power like we did a few years ago and can afford these prices, they don’t seem to realise purchasing power has diminished greatly across much of the Western world and not too many people can even afford Loona now. You really notice that with more recent robot Kickstarters that aren’t doing so well.

Keep an eye out for a good deal, waiting can’t hurt as a lot of these companies are working on new robots which will probably see release in the next six months or so.