Figurobot Gives AI a Moving Face With Its 11-Inch FR-NIA Companion

Figurobot has introduced FR-NIA, an 11-inch desktop companion robot that gives AI conversations a moving face. The company is positioning the small robot for desks and bedside tables, with coordinated expressions and a customizable appearance at the center of the experience.

Key Takeaways

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• FR-NIA combines facial and neck movement with conversational AI in an approximately 28-centimeter desktop robot.
• Figurobot advertises 10 degrees of freedom and app-based tools for creating movements and expressions; longer-term memory features are planned.
• Launch information is inconsistent: the press release advertises Kickstarter pricing from $599, while the campaign remained in prelaunch when checked on October 19.

A physical face for conversational AI

In its October 19 announcement, Figurobot describes a silicone-covered face with moving eyes, eyebrows and mouth. The company says FR-NIA can use a person’s position, sound direction and interaction context to shape its responses.

The product website divides its 10 degrees of freedom into seven for facial control and three for the neck. Through the Figurobot app, users are promised motion recording, keyframe editing and custom expressions, alongside real-time movement control.

The distinction is its physical presentation: FR-NIA is designed for conversation and expression, rather than household chores. Its Kickstarter disclosure says third-party language-model technology supports voice interaction, while Figurobot develops the mechanical structure, electronics, embedded controls and silicone facial components.

The release describes memory and relationship-development features as planned. Those ambitions should therefore be separated from capabilities available at delivery.

Pricing and launch details need clarification

Figurobot’s release lists Lite, Pro and Pro Max versions, with limited early-bird pricing starting at $599, and describes the Kickstarter campaign as live.

However, when checked on October 19, the campaign page still displayed “Launching soon.” The company website advertised an October 20 Kickstarter launch and reservation offers of $699 after a $20 deposit, or $799 after a $1 deposit, against a stated $999 MSRP.

The website explicitly says these deposits do not purchase a robot: the Kickstarter price and shipping are paid separately, and no hardware ships at the reservation stage. It is unclear how these offers map to the three versions in the release. A delivery date was not established by the pages reviewed.

FR-NIA’s appeal will depend on how convincingly its expressions work in conversation and how much owners can personalize them. For now, it is a newly announced companion robot with a crowdfunding launch to follow, rather than a confirmed shipping product.