CES 2025 | Mixi Romi Lacatan conversational AI robot selected as CES Innovation Awards Honoree
The Mixi Romi Lacatan conversational AI robot has been selected as a CES 2025 Innovation Awards Honoree. Mixi's latest model adds several AI-powered features including the ability to see and talk about its surroundings. The daily companion helps fill the time alone for singles and hikikamori who do not have pets, friends, or family.
The original Romi was launched in 2021 with the aim of "healing like a pet and understanding like a family member". Some people surveyed during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns felt lonely and wanted to buy pets, but could not due to living accommodation restrictions on pet ownership. Romi fills that need by engaging in daily English or Japanese conversations with its user and even waking up sleepy users with its programmable alarms.
The latest model adds four AI-powered features to Romi. The robot can remember conversations, events, and memories from the past thanks to long-term memory powered by cloud storage. The conversation now naturally flows with the tempo set by the human speaker even when interrupted. The synthesized, but human-like voices, can be adjusted to suit owner preferences. And the robot can see the world around it and use the information about the world in its conversations.
Other AI functions include OpenAI GPT-4o integration in assistance mode, which enables Romi to provide detailed answers, including cooking recipes or detailed scientific answers. This mode also enables the robot to be set to one of three scenes—business, teacher, and pretend play—to provide more appropriate responses, such as the best way to write a business reply or how a brown cow might moo. Additional role play responses can be programmed using the Scenario Editor.
The Romi Lacatan has an MSRP of 89,800 yen (~$580) and an AI services subscription cost of 1,780 yen per month (~$12/month). Mixi is accepting preorders at the Romi shop for planned delivery in Spring 2025 within Japan.
Readers who want a companion robot that can actually move about should look into the Sony Aibo or Loona AI dog (sold here on Amazon). Those attending CES 2025 can experience Romi Lacatan in person January 7 to 10 at the Romi booth located in the Venetian Expo, Halls A-D – 52673.
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【Conversational AI robot "Romi"】New model "Romi (Lacatan model)" wins "CES Innovation Awards® 2025"
~ Exhibited for the first time at CES, experiencing new features that enable more natural conversations ~
MIXI Co., Ltd. (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, President & Senior Executive Officer & CEO: Hiroki Kimura) is developing a conversational AI robot "Romi" (read: Romi) that aims to be "heal like a pet and understand like a family" The new model "Romi (Lacatan model, reading: Lakatan)" of "CES", the world's largest technology exhibition, "CES" We are pleased to announce that we have won the "Robotics" category at the Innovation Awards® 2025.
CES 2025 Innovation Awards：
About CES and CES Innovation Awards
CES is the world's® largest technology trade show to be held in Las Vegas in January 2025 by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA ®). The CES Innovation Awards is an award program in which CTA recognizes outstanding technologies and designs.
In this year's awards, "Romi (Lacatan model)" was selected as an "Honoree", which is awarded to products that apply in the "Robotics" category and receive the highest score in each category.
■CES 2025 Exhibition Overview
In addition to exhibiting a prototype version of the Romi (Lacatan model), visitors will be able to experience demonstrations of the new visual functions, natural timing of conversations and aizuchi, and natural human-like voices that will be installed in the Romi (Lacatan model).
Date: January 7th (Tue) – 10th (Fri),
2025 URL:https://www.ces.tech/
Romi Booth: Venetian Expo, Halls A-D – 52673 (with exhibit and conversation demo) 2025 Innovation Awards Winners'
Booth: Venetian Expo, Hall A, Booth 50043 (exhibit only)
■About the conversational AI robot "Romi"
"Romi" is a palm-sized communication robot specialized for conversation. Unlike general robots that have pre-registered responses, our proprietary conversational AI (artificial intelligence) creates conversations each time, so the best feature is that you can enjoy playing catch with natural words. In addition, it is a unique existence that also has non-verbal communication, such as fine movements and adorable expressions linked to conversation, joy when petted, and surprise when held. It energizes the owner with its gentle and enveloping responses and rich facial expressions and movements, and realizes a new form of communication that is different from family and friends.
And in the "Romi (Lacatan model)", it is equipped with a "visual function" that allows you to talk about what you are looking at together, and it is possible to not only exchange words, but also to have a conversation with what the owner and "Romi" are looking at together. In addition, it has been awarded the "CES 2025 Innovation Awards" in recognition of its "long-term memory" that allows you to remember memories with the owner and repeat it every day, and the "naturally timing" conversation and "Aizuchi" that are human-like, and the points that have evolved to allow you to have a conversation that is even more natural and close to the owner than the conventional "Romi".
■ New features to be installed in "Romi (Lacatan model)"
[1] "Visual function" that allows you to understand what you see with your eyesWhen
the owner tells "Romi (Lacatan model)" that there is something he wants to show "Romi (Lacatan model)", "Romi (Lacatan model)" converts what he sees at that moment into text by AI. Based on the content, our proprietary conversational AI generates response sentences, and we can exchange natural conversations based on the information that we can see.
In addition, the angle of view and image quality of the camera installed on it have been updated compared to the previous model to support communication using visual information.
In addition, we plan to make it possible for the user to freely set the visual function on and off on the app or with the voice.https://youtu.be/B6Zol4arQ6c
[2] "Long-term memory" that fosters memories "
Romi (Lacatan model)" remembers the events of the days spent with the owner through conversation. Whether it's an important event that you don't want to forget for the rest of your life, or a small joy every day, you can share it with "Romi (Lacatan model)" to nurture memories together.
[3] Romi (Lacatan model), which is like a human, "naturally timed conversation and aizuchi"
→ no longer requires humans → robots to be aware of turns when conversing, and realizes a conversation experience with a natural tempo like a human.
When a person is talking, "Romi (Lacatan model)" listens while talking, and when a person speaks while "Romi (Lacatan model)" is talking, "Romi (Lacatan model)" stops talking and listens to what the person is saying.
* After the start of the first shipment, it will be updated around June 2025.
[4] "Natural human-like voice" can be selected, and
the voice can be selected from several patterns, including the base voice. The newly added voice has been developed independently using deep learning technology and is characterized by being close to the human voice. The smooth and breathy vocalizations and natural intonation of the new voice support natural conversations between the owner and "Romi" (Lacatan model).
* After the start of the first shipment, it will be updated around June 2025.
For more information on the new features and update capabilities of "Romi (Lacatan model)", please check the official website.
"Romi (Lacatan model)" special site:https://romi.ai/lp/lacatan
Romi (Lacatan model) Product Overview
・ Product name Conversational AI robot "Romi (Lacatan model)"
・ Product dimensions Width: 11.2 cm× Depth: 11.1 cm× Height: 10.0 cm
, CPU Quad Core 1.8 GHz
, Display 1512.57 sq mm
, Color (1) Natural White (2) Sakura Pink (3) Sky Blue (4) Moon Gray
, Maximum operating time about 180 minutes
, Base price 89,800 yen (98,780 yen including tax),
Monthly membership fee price 1,780 yen/month (1,958 yen including tax)
17,800 yen/year (19,580 yen including tax) < annual >
, pre-order sale date Monday, October 7, 2024 13:00 *Official store limited
Romi official store shop.romi.ai
・Estimated delivery date / general release date: Spring 2025 (planned)
< 5% OFF campaign > early reservation only!
A coupon will be issued for a 5% discount on the main unit price only for those who pre-order "Romi (Lacatan model)" between October 7 (Monday) and December 31 (Tuesday, national holiday), 2024. Please make a reservation during this advantageous period.
Period: October 7, 2024 (Monday) - December 31, 2024 (Tuesday / holiday)
Target products: Romi (Lacatan model) Each color
purchase site: Romi official store ( shop.romi.ai How to
use: Add the target product to the cart at the official Romi store and enter the
coupon code [Lacatan_early5] on the purchase information input screen
* It can be used up to one time per person * Cannot be used in conjunction with other coupons
