Mitsubishi Wakamaru

Wakamaru is a home communication robot developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). Contemporary reporting dates its press unveiling to 4 February 2003, and an MHI technical review describes the early prototype as built around human affinity, offering network services such as house-sitting and monitoring while owners are away.

MHI offered about 100 units in a 2005 test sale to households in 23 Tokyo neighborhoods. Reservations opened on 16 September 2005 at 1,575,000 yen, plus a 10,500 yen monthly support fee, according to Impress Watch. That coverage gives a height of about 1 m, a weight of about 27 kg, a wheeled base moving at up to 1 km/h and a full charge of about two hours. A peer-reviewed paper describes three neck DoF, four DoF in each arm and two wheel DoF, for 13 in total.

Sales were weak. Wikipedia reports that Wakamaru was available for rent to companies from 2007 at US$1,000 a day, and that it left the consumer market in 2008 but could still be rented as a receptionist. Neither source gives a formal end-of-production date, so the entry is marked as discontinued.