Just months after unveiling Sprout, a cute humanoid robot, Amazon has acquired New York City-based Fauna Robotics.
Specific details of the acquisition have yet to be announced, but Fauna CEO Rob Cochran said in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday that he was “incredibly excited” about the development.
“When we launched in NYC in February 2024, we set out with a clear mission: ‘to build capable, safe, and fun robots for everyone,'” Cochran wrote in the post. “When I look back at how far we have come in just two years, I am incredibly proud of everything our team has accomplished.”
But what does the acquisition mean for Sprout, its friendly humanoid robot designed for safe use in human common spaces?
Cochran assured owners that it will continue to sell the Sprout Creator Edition robots to new customers and will continue to provide support to all existing customers.
“There is essentially no change to the work we do together,” the CEO said, adding that the company will continue to “operate as Fauna Robotics, an Amazon company.”
Amazon has invested billions of dollars in robotics technology over the years – mostly in warehouse automation and logistics – and with Fauna now under its umbrella, the company plans to leverage its engineers’ expertise to further improve its technology.
In a widely reported statement, the e-commerce giant said: “Together with Amazon’s robotics expertise and the decades of experience we gain in earning customer trust in the home through our retail and appliance businesses, we look forward to finding new ways to make our customers’ lives better and easier.”
Fauna Robotics was founded two years ago and launched its debut product, Sprout, in January.
The 3.5-foot-tall humanoid robot costs $50,000 and is intended for a range of industries, including retail and hospitality, where it can meet and greet people, present products and guide people. With custom voices, gestures, and movements, Sprout can also act as a “friendly home concierge.” In fact, it reminds us a bit of SoftBank’s Pepper robot, which the company discontinued in 2021 to lukewarm reception.
Sprout, which comes with a developer platform for building custom applications, is also aimed at researchers looking to advance AI development in the areas of locomotion, manipulation and interactive behavior, and can also provide learning opportunities for students interested in technology.
