Beni Is a Cute Autonomous Camera Robot On Wheels
Mondo Robotics has unveiled Beni, which it describes as the world’s first portable camera robot designed for “every consumer and terrain.”
What may seem a bit like science fiction is, in fact, a real robotic camera that Mondo Robotics is launching on Kickstarter today. Ahead of today’s full reveal, Mondo Robotics had been teasing Beni and showing off different tests users had performed with the personality-filled jumping camera bot.
Beni is an all-terrain, portable, and autonomous robot that follows users around to film them. The camera robot on wheels has advanced obstacle avoidance, video tracking from multiple angles, and can even jump 10 inches (25 centimeters) into the air and automatically recover if it tips over. The motion-sensing robot can reach a top speed of 18 miles per hour (nearly 29 kilometers per hour), allowing it to track various action-sports scenarios, such as skateboarding.
An obvious potential limitation of something like Beni is that the robot is quite small and, aside from occasional jumps, remains very close to the ground. In contrast to a human camera operator, who has a fairly broad range of heights from which they can film, Beni will mostly be pointing up at its subjects.
Mondo Robotics, of course, touts Beni’s advantages, though. The company notes that carrying and setting up tripods can be tedious, and relying on another person is a real limitation for many creators. Mondo Robotics believes that traditional camera setups “deter people from filming.”
“This leads to some of the most inspiring, heart-warming moments going unrecorded,” the company explains.
Beni promises to address this by making solo filming very straightforward. Beni is also programmed to be an expressive, fun camera operator. Beni has a face of sorts, complete with changing expressions, color-changing eyes, and some built-in games. Mondo Robotics says Beni is a “true companion.”
To give Beni more personality, Mondo Robotics is going to release different-colored “ears” for the robot, along with little baseball hats that go on top of Beni’s “head.”
“Most robots today are designed to work behind the scenes, in warehouses or factories hidden from consumers. We started Mondo Robotics with the belief that robots should be beside people, making their daily life more fun and enjoyable,” says Shuo Yang, Co-Founder and CTO at Mondo Robotics. Yang, who has a PhD in robotics, previously worked on Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot project.
“When a robot can be right there with you at the skate park, on a family walk, or in your backyard, robotics becomes something personal rather than something distant. And it allows you to be fully present in the moments that matter,” Yang concludes.
Alongside automatic tracking features controlled via a companion app, Beni also works with a wristwatch-style motion controller. This controller lets users program different functions and control Beni using a joystick.
Speaking of the companion app, Beni can send footage directly to the app, and the app can use automatic editing tools to create a share-worthy clip, Mondo Robotics says.
As for Beni’s imaging capabilities, Mondo Robotics is keeping detailed specs close to the vest for now. Beni records 4K resolution video at up to 30 frames per second, alongside 3Kp60 and 1080p100 video. Beni has 32GB of internal storage plus a microSD slot for expansion. Beni has 1.5 hours of battery life and a swappable battery. The camera robot weighs 3.86 pounds (1.75 kilograms).
Pricing and Availability
Beni starts at $499 on Kickstarter with “early bird” discounts. This is a $300 discount compared to the eventual retail price of $799.
Mondo Robotics says that shipping will begin to backers in October. As always, there is a level of risk with any Kickstarter campaign, though in Beni’s case, prototype units are out in the wild right now. 30 real-world users have tested the robotic camera, according to Mondo Robotics.
Image credits: Mondo Robotics
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