Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, this projector is pretty sweet, but I really wish it had wheels so it could follow me around and play YouTube videos on the empty walls of my apartment”?
Perhaps not, since that’s a fairly ridiculous thing to think to yourself. But somebody else did think that, and he was crazy determined enough to actually follow through on this absurd idea and make it a reality. After teasing the world with an early prototype three years ago, Pierre Labeau’s robotic butler/entertainment system known as Keecker is finally available for purchase.
The device is a bit of an oddity. Aesthetically, it looks like the misshapen egg that would be laid if R2D2 impregnated a brontosaurus, and the functions it performs are pretty much what you’d expect from such an unholy union. In addition to a veritable boatload of sensor tech, Keecker is equipped with a self-adjusting HD projector and a 360-degree sound system under the hood. On top of that, the bot sports over a terabyte of local storage for movies, music, and games, and it can also connect to the internet to play content from websites and streaming services. It also allows for voice commands, and works with Google Home and Alexa.
But it’s more than just an egg-shaped media center. Keecker is also outfitted with a set of wheels, a camera, and special navigation software that allows it to follow you around the house. The idea is that, instead of you getting up and physically moving yourself to wherever your home theater might be, you can use your smartphone to summon Keecker to the spot you happen to be in.
And it gets better — Keecker can also function as an adorable little security system. Its camera, sensors, and network connectivity allow you to tap into the video feed from your smartphone, and drive the little bot around your house from anywhere in the world.
“Keecker simplifies the technology experience by providing a central multimedia hub for entertainment and communication,” explained Pierre Lebeau, CEO and founder of Keecker. “It’s very easy to become consumed by our individual devices, but Keecker is designed to do just the opposite – to bring people together to share a collective, immersive experience.”
Be warned, though — Keecker isn’t exactly an accessible piece of technology in terms of its price, as it starts at $1,790. But hey, the heart wants what the heart wants, and Keecker may just fulfill some techies’ dreams.
Update: Keecker is now available for purchase.
