PET owners worried about their animal’s loneliness while they’re at work might be thrilled to learn of a creative – and high-tech – solution.
An AI company has unveiled a new robot companion – but this innovation was designed especially for pets.
The robot made its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2026 from Tuya, an AI service provider.
With three wheels, a hollow body, and a smiling face, the robot is marketed as a “pet butler” designed to keep your furry friends company while you’re out of the house.
The robot, named Aura, “moves freely throughout the home, proactively seeking out pets to interact with them,” Tuya said in a press release.
Aura tracks your pet’s movements and autonomously decides which moments are worth capturing with photos and videos.
The robot’s hollow body even provides extra space for your cat to climb inside and ride around in.
The robot is equipped with a treat dispenser, a laser pointer, and makes “simulated pet sounds” to bond with your animal.
But Tuya’s selling point is the emotional bond Aura is meant to form with pets and real-time updates on pet mood for owners.
Aura is designed to be an “emotional translator” for pets that can “accurately interpret a pet’s emotional state” through behavior and sound analysis, the company announced.
The robot will then send automatic updates to owners on how their pet is feeling.
Aura’s AI-powered voice and animated face are meant to make it a “responsive and warm” companion.
The robot uses cameras to navigate its way around the home without bumping into furniture.
It can also autonomously return to its charging station.
Aura is just the beginning of Tuya’s robot companions.
The company said the robot butler lays the foundation for more robots centered around “elder care, home monitoring, and family connectivity” with “diverse hardware forms.”
The company has not yet announced when the robots were expected to hit the commercial market, or how much they will cost.
