iRobot Co-Founder Colin Angle’s New Startup, Familiar Machines & Magic, Emerges From Stealth to Make Consumer Social Interaction Robots
- Published
- Source
- AIInsider
Colin Angle, co-founder of iRobot, has launched a new companion robotics startup named Familiar Machines & Magic, unveiling its first product, a four-legged robot designed for human interaction. The announcement took place on Monday during the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything conference. The company aims to create what it refers to as “Familiars,” which are physical AI companions intended to enhance human experiences. This initiative reflects a growing interest in robotics that fosters emotional connections and companionship, addressing the increasing demand for interactive technology in daily life.
Original report
iRobot Co-Founder Colin Angle’s New Startup, Familiar Machines & Magic, Emerges From Stealth to Make Consumer Social Interaction Robots
AIInsider · Greg BockThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
Rights concerns? Contact [email protected] with the relevant URL and details. We will review the matter and take appropriate action where warranted.
More related news
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
-
12
RobotToday Weekly October 12 – 16, 2026 RobotToday · 4 days ago
Related Suppliers
Familiar Machines & Magic
United States
Consumer physical-AI startup from iRobot co-founder Colin Angle building screen-free home companion robots called Familiars.
Chengdu Humanoid Robot Innovation Center Co., Ltd. 成都人形机器人创新中心有限公司
China
Chengdu-registered humanoid robot R&D company behind the Gongga-1 humanoid, the open-source RW-02OP wheeled-biped platform and Raydiculous-1 planning software
High Performance Humanoid Technologies Lab (H2T), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Germany
KIT research chair in Karlsruhe led by Prof. Tamim Asfour, developer of the ARMAR humanoid robot family from ARMAR-I (2000) to the household robot ARMAR-7.
Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Center 湖北人形机器人创新中心
China
Wuhan public platform opened in June 2025 to train humanoid robots and collect embodied-AI data in 23 simulated scenes; led by a Hubei state tech investor.
Collaborative Robotics
United States
Maker of Proxie, a swerve-drive autonomous mobile manipulator that moves materials alongside people without facility changes.
Massachusetts Technology Collaborative
United States
Massachusetts state agency fostering technology and robotics innovation through funding, partnerships, and the MassRobotics Accelerator.
Azalea Robotics
United States
Berkeley-based YC-backed startup building fully-mobile collaborative robots for autonomous airport baggage handling on ramps and in terminals.
Yuanqi Innovation (Xiamen) Robot Co., Ltd. 元启创新（厦门）机器人有限公司
China
Xiamen-based AgiBot VAP partner founded 2025; resells and customises AgiBot humanoids, Genie wheeled robots and D1 quadrupeds with turnkey service.
OM Robot Technology Co. Ltd. 东莞全向机械科技有限公司
China
Chinese manufacturer of mecanum wheels, omnidirectional wheel bases, and mobile robotic platforms for AGV applications.
Techman Robot Inc. (TM Robot) 達明機器人股份有限公司
Taiwan
Techman Robot is a Taiwanese cobot maker producing AI-powered collaborative robots with integrated built-in vision for manufacturing automation.
Human in Motion Robotics
Canada
Vancouver, Canada medical-robotics company founded 2016 builds the XoMotion self-balancing exoskeleton for people with spinal cord injury or stroke.
LG Display
Korea, Republic of (South)
Seoul display maker (KRX:034220, NYSE:LPL), formed 1999, that launched plastic OLED humanoid-robot face panels for industrial settings in 2026.
Roboblock System Co., Ltd.
Korea, Republic of (South)
South Korean robotics distribution and development company founded in 1997; supplies AI robots, drones, humanoid kits, and VR/AR systems internationally.
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
Join the RobotToday community on LinkedIn
Daily robotics news, in-depth analysis, conference highlights, and discussions with professionals worldwide.
