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fastcompany:

If you know anything about robots, or you’re a fan of viral videos on YouTube, you’ll know Keepon. He’s the deceptively simple-looking dancing “toy” that looks like two yellow tennis balls stacked atop each other, standing on a simple black platform and with a rudimentary face even a Muppet would snigger at. But behind the simple facade is a complex of engineering and programming that lets Keepon detect music, and create dance moves that sync perfectly with the beat. He also reacts to touch, and this has been key to therapeutic uses of the little bot that have included helping children with autism understand emotions better.

I’ve been following Keepon ever since it was revealed in 2007, and last week they announced that they’re releasing a consumer version that will cost around $40, which is pretty amazing considering the amount of robotics under its soft rubber body. Compared to the Keepon Pro, which costs $30,000, My Keepon will probably lack the remote control that its more advanced counterpart comes with, and likely contain less expensive optics; but despite this, it’s still going to be very true to the Keepon Pro, and I’m definitely getting one when it comes out.