[DoreenMichele]

I'm seriously handicapped and have a dog phobia thanks to ugly events in early childhood. My handicap makes having actual animals in my home a bad idea anyway for cleanliness reasons.

While $2700 is way out of my price range -- handicapped people tend to have tight budgets -- I can absolutely see a tremendous market for companion animals for people allergic to animals, with a dog phobia etc.

Especially if they could add some fetching capabilities, this could be enormously useful to many people. Our population is aging and unlike other populations with physical limitations, people whose limitations are primarily age related sometimes have money. Sometimes lots of money in fact.

[jiofih]

This is much more of an industrial robot than a pet. And 20 minute battery life.

[DoreenMichele]

Companion animals are not pets. They are working animals.

Battery life has a tendency to change over time. For someone largely housebound, it wouldn't much matter. They could be on a tether plugged into a wall even and still do good things for many people.

[jiofih]

I meant it’s not fit for a companion. It wouldn’t have agency, “keep you company” in any sense or understand your needs like animals can be trained to do. It’s a sharp, computerized tool.

[DoreenMichele]

I don't know a better term for what I am thinking of. I don't think it has to be able to serve that specific function in order to be useful to someone with significant limitations.

I can see where the miscommunication comes from, but I think my point stands. For handicapped people, a mechanical dog that can carry, fetch items for them, help them get up, light their way, etc is potentially very useful.

[sudosysgen]

IIRC it can jog for an hour.