In addition to the advanced technologies incorporated into Moxie, the Embodied team also created a specialized curriculum for Moxie based on child development research that makes interacting with the robot fun and engaging.
In April 2020, Los Angeles-based Embodied Inc. formally launched Moxie, an engaging robot companion for children designed to promote social, emotional, and cognitive development through play-based learning. Embodied representatives have acknowledged that their vision is a “moonshot,” but the social imperatives for this new class of child development tool forced the company to overcome a number of significant challenges in unique ways.
There have been other attempts at developing social robots for children, many of them little more than advanced, consumer-class toys, but a few like Moxie were designed specifically to promote social engagement and cognitive development. These systems largely failed to find a commercial footing.The developers of Moxie have learned from these earlier attempts. They also benefited from a new generation of critical enablers – powerful microprocessors, computer vision and machine learning – that provide advanced capabilities at relatively low cost.In addition to the advanced technologies incorporated into Moxie, the Embodied team also created a specialized curriculum for Moxie based on child development research that makes interacting with the robot fun and engaging. Embodied also opted for a subscription model for Moxie’s launch that includes software and curricula updates, access to the Global Robotics Laboratory, an online children portal with games and stories, and behavioral analytics via the Embodied Moxie app.Taken together – the technologies, the business model, and the decades of children’s development research – make Moxie a moonshot with its heart in the right place. – Dan Kara

WTWH Media’s Robotics Group is pleased to showcase the 2021 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award honorees – See table below.
To download The Robot Report June 2021 Digital Edition featuring the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards click HERE.
2021 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award Honorees
Organization | Location | Innovation Type | Innovation Subclass |
---|---|---|---|
Accerion | The Netherlands | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Ambi Robotics | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
American Robotics | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
AutoStore | USA | Application & Market | Retail / Wholesale |
AutoX | China | Application and Market | Transportation |
BMW / IDEALworks | Germany | Business & Management | Business Models |
Boston Dynamics | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Canvas | USA | Application & Market | Construction / Demolition |
DreamVu | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Embodied | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
FarmWise | USA | Application & Market | Agriculture |
FedEx | USA | Application & Market | Logistics |
Ford / U Michigan | USA | Business & Management | Leadership |
GreyOrange | USA | Application & Market | Logistics |
Hello Robot | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
inVia Robotics | USA | Technology & Services | Services Introduction |
Material Handling Systems (MHS) | USA | Application & Market | Logistics |
ModalAI | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Monarch Tractor | USA | Application & Market | Agriculture |
Motus Labs | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
NASA JPL | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Oculii | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Open Robotics | USA | Application and Market | Healthcare |
Opteran Technologies Limited | England | Technology & Services | Primary or Applied Research |
Orica | Australia | Application & Market | Mining / Quarrying |
Ottonomy | USA | Application & Market | Consumer |
Photoneo | Slovakia | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Plus | USA | Application & Market | Transportation |
Prophesee | France | Application & Market | Manufacturing |
QLayers | The Netherlands | Application & Market | Construction / Demolition |
Qualcomm Technologies | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
RE2 Robotics | USA | Application & Market | Energy |
READY Robotics | USA | Business and Management | Social Good |
rideOS | USA | Application & Market | Transportation |
Rocos | New Zealand | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
ROEQ | Denmark | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
SBG SYSTEMS | France | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Seoul Robotics | South Korea | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
SCHUNK | Germany | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
SICK | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Siemens Digital Industries Software | Germany | Technology & Services | Servies Introduction |
SLAMcore | England | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Smith & Nephew | England | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Tevel Aerobotics Technologies | Israel | Application & Market | Agriculture |
ULC Technologies | USA | Application & Market | Utilities |
Universal Robots | Denmark | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
Vention | Canada | Application & Market | Manufacturing |
Verizon | USA | Technology & Services | Primary or Applied Research |
Waymo | USA | Application and Market | Transportation |
WiBotic | USA | Technology & Services | Product Introduction |
About WTWH Media
WTWH Media LLC is an integrated media company serving engineering, business, and investment professionals through more than 50 Web sites, five print publications, and many other technical and business events. The “WTWH Robotics Group” includes The Robot Report, Collaborative Robotics Trends, Mobile Robot Guide, and Robotics Business Review, online technical, business, and investment news and information portals focused on robotics and intelligent systems. WTWH Media also produces leading in-person robotics conferences, including the Robotics Summit & Expo, RoboBusiness, and the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum, as well as the RoboBusiness Direct online webinar program.