Indiegogo - BUDDY, the Companion Robot from Blue Frog Robotics, Raises More Than $600,000 on Indiegogo
Blue Frog Robotics, developer of companion robot BUDDY, said its Indiegogo crowd funding campaign exceeded its goal by more than six times. More than 1000 funders participated in the campaign.
Paris, France; Boston, Mass. September 09, 2015
Blue Frog Robotics, a robotics technology company and developer of companion robot BUDDY, announced today that its just completed Indiegogo crowd funding campaign exceeded its fundraising goal by more than six times -- raising $617,830. The 1000+ funders include robotics technologists, software developers, academic institutions, and business partners from the healthcare, elder care, insurance and distribution industries as well as individual consumers excited about the future of companion robots.
The Indiegogo campaign reached its $100,000 funding goal in less than a day. During the campaign, Blue Frog Robotics executives introduced BUDDY to consumers, technologists, investors and members of the media throughout the world and held events in London, Boston and San Francisco.
"This is just the beginning," said Rodolphe Hasselvander, CEO and co-founder of Blue Frog Robotics and the inventor of BUDDY. "The successful Indiegogo crowd funding campaign has validated BUDDY and companion robots, and thats exciting news for us and for our many contributors to whom we are so grateful for getting this project off to a fast start. We learned so much from the recent global tour where BUDDY was met with universal enthusiasm. Now its time to take what we learned and continue to evolve BUDDY into a world-class, affordable and useful companion robot."
BUDDY, recently described in consumer electronics web magazine Engadget as having "R2-D2's versatility but with Wall-E's emotive abilities" and also recently featured in TechCrunch, a leading online publisher of technology news, can perform a broad range of useful, every day activities. It can alert a family member to an upcoming appointment, route and make phone calls, snap a picture or take a video, suggest a recipe and serve as a home security solution, among many other tasks.
Blue Frog Robotics recently opened offices in Boston, Mass., ground central for robotics in the US, and in San Francisco, Calif. Executives from the company will be attending, along with BUDDY, Unite 2015 Boston and TechCrunch Disrupt SF, San Francisco, Calif., both from Sept. 21-23, and RoboBusiness 2015, Sept. 23-24 in San Jose, Calif.
Anyone who missed out on the discount opportunity through the Indiegogo campaign will be able to purchase BUDDY at the retail price from Blue Frog Robotics in 2016.
Featured Product
US Digital's New L2 Low Profile Motor Encoder
The L2 incremental encoder uses US Digital's proven EM1 optical encoder module and disk, which has billions of device-hours of dependable service in customer applications. This product continues US Digital's strong reputation for reliable, field-tested encoders. The L2 is US Digital's lowest height encoder that uses the EM1 module. It has a 0.75 in. bolt-spacing mount. The maximum resolution is 1250 CPR (5000 PPR with quadrature). The L2 comes with a single-ended output. Another benefit of the L2 incremental encoder is its fast installation. The cover snaps onto the base to secure the module. It is designed for use with a high-retention connector or cable (sold separately). Like all US Digital products, the L2 is designed and manufactured in Vancouver, Washington, USA. It is backed by prompt access to our technical and customer service teams with same-day shipping on most orders.
