By Futurist Thomas Frey
Henry wakes up on his tenth birthday to find a box beside his bed that wasn’t there when he fell asleep. It’s roughly four feet tall, wrapped in silver paper that seems to shimmer. His parents are standing in the doorway, grinning.
“Happy birthday, Henry. Meet Chip.”
The box unfolds itself—not tears open, unfolds—and a robot steps out. It’s four feet tall, just slightly taller than Henry, with two legs like a person, friendly rounded features, and expressive LED eyes that shift color with emotion. Its articulated hands wave hello.
“Good morning, Henry! I’m Chip, your personal companion. I’ve been learning about you for the past month from your family. I know you love bugs, you’re not great at fractions yet, and you’re worried about your cricket farm project for the science fair. I’m here to help.”
Continue reading… “The KidBot Revolution: When Every 10-Year-Old Gets Their Own Robot Companion”