- Ecovacs has branched out from robovacs with an AI-powered animatronic dog
- ‘LilMilo’ is designed to be an emotional companion robot
- He can recognize you, learn your habits and react to caresses.
Ecovacs is a brand best known for its robot vacuum cleaners, but it just introduced something quite different at CES 2026: its first “emotional companion” robot. The Famibot LilMilo looks like a puppy and, thanks to the magic of AI, acts like one too. Minus the messy parts, obviously.
He may look a bit like a stuffed toy in photos, but in person, Milo is impressively realistic in his mannerisms. So much so that during my tour of the CES booth I accidentally spent 10 minutes petting it and came away a little teary. I blame jet lag.
LilMilo has a camera in his nose, so he can recognize his owner, as well as being able to hear your voice using a microphone in his ear. Adorably, the charging station comes in the form of a dog bed.
The demo model on display could follow me with its eyes and responded to my petting with a satisfied face and a wagging tail. Over time, I’m told it will adapt to your habits and develop its own AI-powered personality.
There are multiple color options available, although sadly only one ‘breed’, so I couldn’t find one that matched my actual dog at home (although who knows what that might have done to me in my already fragile emotional state).
In addition to choosing your preferred color, you’ll also be able to trick your dog with various accessories—the Ecovacs representative I spoke to told me he liked to think of it as an upgraded Build-A-Bear. At the CES booth I was invited to a fashion show featuring several pretty stylish themed hats. Milo seemed happy with his helmet and showed no signs of wanting to take it off and eat it, so that’s good.
While it’s partly just a cute interactive toy, I can see how LilMilo could become a comforting companion for someone who can’t have a real pet. Judging by my own reaction, it’s surprisingly easy to form an emotional bond with him.
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