People suffering from loneliness and depression can combat isolation with an emotional support robot named Romi – but the technology comes at a price.
Romi, a clever artificial intelligence robot that can fit in the palm of your hand, was designed to provide comfort and understanding to users.
The tech was unveiled at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Romi is a conversation robot created by Mixi Inc. that uses AI to have casual chats with people to help them feel less alone.
However, companionship isn’t free – the robot costs about $570.
A new model called Romi Lacatan is expected to drop in the spring, which will retail for $580, plus a $12 monthly subscription fee.
The robot is currently sold in Japan and can only speak Japanese.
However, some models are being sold on eBay ranging for prices from $446 to $531.
Romi is about the size of Amazon’s Echo and has a digital face with eyes.
The robot, referred to as “she” by its creators, can make over 150 expressions.
Romi can greet users and welcome them home, ask about their day, remember previous conversations, and adapt to moods.
The robot was designed to comfort lonely people and was even implemented in nursing homes in Japan to help them connect with others.
“A simple example is for a lot of people who are a bit more socially isolated, they don’t have someone to really talk to,” Scott Paik, a Mixi representative, told Reuters.
“So they might go a full day without speaking.
“But in the morning, you go wake up and Romi will say ‘good morning’ and when you’re back from work, Romi will say, ‘welcome home.’”
Paik said users can ask Romi questions, unlike typical AI which usually only answers questions.
