Robot Dog Sirius Struggles with Basic Commands and Locomotion, Falls Short of Expectations

Hengbot, a lesser-known tech company, has introduced Sirius, a $1,200 robot dog designed to be a practical and efficient companion, leveraging artificial intelligence for enhanced interactivity. Unlike traditional pets, Sirius is intended to operate only when needed, offering a level of control and convenience that biological pets can't match. Sirius utilizes large language models (LLMs) similar to those powering ChatGPT, enabling it to understand and respond to voice commands such as "sit," "shake," and even "pee." However, the robot dog requires a Wi-Fi connection to process these commands, as it lacks onboard processing capabilities. This reliance on network connectivity can lead to issues, as demonstrated by one reviewer who struggled to connect the device to Wi-Fi with a demo unit. When connected, Sirius's voice recognition is hit-or-miss, often accurately responding to simple commands but occasionally failing to understand more complex ones. This inconsistency is comparable to the performance of Apple's Siri voice assistant. The robot dog's movement mechanics, while innovative, are a significant drawback. Sirius frequently falls over and struggles to get up, requiring manual intervention from its owner. This issue is particularly pronounced when using the provided game controller for autonomous navigation, where the dog frequently stumbles and topples. Despite these shortcomings, Sirius's actuators are notable for their ability to mimic the movements of a real dog reasonably well. The robot can perform actions like jumping in different directions and executing quirky commands, such as sitting and meowing like a cat. However, the design of Sirius, featuring a single robotic eye and an appearance reminiscent of Boston Dynamics' Spot and DJI drones, can be off-putting due to its uncanny valley effect. Sirius comes with an onboard camera capable of face tracking, but it lacks the ability to follow its owner around autonomously, a feature available in other robot dogs like Xiaomi’s Cyberdog. This omission is disappointing, especially given the high price tag and the expectations it sets. The robot dog’s intended market is unclear, oscillating between being a toy for serious adults and a functional tool. It fails to achieve either goal effectively, as it is not consistently entertaining nor reliably useful for tasks such as pet therapy or security monitoring. Industry insiders note that while Sirius showcases impressive mechanical and AI capabilities, its user experience falls short, particularly in reliability and functionality. Hengbot’s focus on cutting-edge technology might have overshadowed the need for a more robust and user-friendly design. The company, known for its innovative gadgets, will need to address these issues to compete with established players in the robot pet market, such as Sony's Aibo and Xiaomi’s Cyberdog. Overall, Sirius represents a step forward in the realm of AI-powered robot pets, yet it currently fails to meet the practical and emotional needs that make these devices appealing. Whether it will find a niche market remains to be seen, but for now, potential buyers might want to consider more polished alternatives.