What failed startup Anki did for robotics
The generously funded robotics company failed in its master plan to gradually progress from cute toys to Rosie the Robot, but helped prime the world for innovations yet to come.
The well-funded passion project of Carnegie Mellon robotics experts, San Francisco-based Anki had a long-range master plan to progress from cute toys to sci-fi level robotic maids, security guards, and other servants. But after nearly a decade and over $200 million in venture funding, the furthest the company got–in terms of publicly revealed products–was a $250, palm-size toy that drives around making cartoonish faces and gibberish chitchat.