Read before
you choose.
Practical frameworks for the parts that product pages skim over: privacy, support risk, whole-life cost, consent, and everyday fit.
How to choose a companion robot
A practical framework for matching form, interaction style, running costs, and support risk to the person who will live with it.
The 12-question companion robot privacy check
What to ask before placing always-listening microphones, cameras, accounts, and cloud personalities in a private space.
Updated July 2026Cloud AI, local AI, and what happens offline
A plain-language guide to latency, privacy, subscriptions, updates, and the support horizon behind a robot’s personality.
Updated June 2026Evaluating robots for older adults
A humane, evidence-aware checklist for accessibility, consent, caregiver involvement, reliability, and realistic expectations.
Updated May 2026Calculate the real cost of a companion robot
A worksheet for purchase price, plans, accessories, repairs, batteries, connectivity, and the risk of a cloud-dependent product losing support.
Updated July 2026Children, consent, and companion robot safety
Questions for families and schools about data, developmental expectations, physical safety, advertising, and a child's ability to stop an interaction.
Updated July 2026Repair, support, and the graceful end of a robot
How to investigate batteries, parts, warranty, account transfer, service shutdown, resale, recycling, and respectful retirement.
Updated July 2026A repeatable companion robot test protocol
A practical protocol for measuring setup, sensing, movement, conversation, privacy controls, offline behavior, noise, charging, and failure recovery.
Updated July 2026Procurement and consent in care settings
A governance checklist for trials in residential care, hospitals, community programs, and supported living.
Updated July 2026Account handoff and the robot digital estate
What families and organizations should record about ownership, administrators, memories, media, subscriptions, and emergency access.
Updated July 2026Guidance, not professional advice.
Care, child development, accessibility, health, privacy, and safety decisions depend on the person, jurisdiction, environment, and exact device. Use these guides to ask better questions—not to replace a qualified professional.