BeatBots

BeatBots is a robot design studio based in San Francisco and Sendai. We create interactive characters for research, entertainment, therapy, education, art, and toys. Our design philosophy centers around cuteness, personality, minimalism, and rhythm. We are working toward a future in which relationships with robots move beyond the utilitarian and antagonistic expectations of science fiction. A future in which dancing is the highest form of robotic expression. A future in which robots designed for therapy are equally appealing to the wider community. And a future in which popular enthusiasm for robots can be harnessed to support the design and distribution of tools to promote social welfare. We design and fabricate mechanisms, exteriors, electronics, and software at our Potrero Hill machine shop. We partner with toy companies and advertising firms on licensed projects, perform contract services for clients in media and entertainment, and collaborate with institutions on research involving our robots. Our work has appeared on the NBC Today Show, the History Channel, PBS, and Bloomberg; has been exhibited at WIRED NextFest, Pictoplasma, and the Webby Awards; and has received awards such as the Robots at Play Prize, a Maker Faire Editor's Choice Award, and a Popular Science Best of Toy Fair Award.