Bossa Nova Creates mObi, the First Commercial Ballbot

Bossa Nova Robotics, the manufacturer of countless robotic toys, has unveiled their newest robot at the 2012 RoboBusiness Summit in Pittsburgh. The new "mObi" is certainly not part of Bossa Nova's toy robot lineup, and is the first commercial ballbot intended to be used as a personal robot, a telepresence platform, a guide or more. Its main distinguishing feature is that it balances entirely on a ball, which is the sole contact it has with the ground. The ball is also used for locomotion. This feature makes the robot very agile by reducing its overall footprint and increasing maneuverability, but at the same time condemns it to having to be perpetually balanced (and therefore powered). If you are wondering how it stops, see the video below which describes, among other things, its unique safety legs which allow the robot to stand when powered off. Although this is not a toy, we would definitely would like to play with one. What would you do with your own ballbot? Via Wired.