Lingverse raises $29M for iKairos, a Jibo-like AI wearable camera

In short: Lingverse says it raised $29 million to build iKairos, a wearable device inspired by the old Jibo home robot that can turn daily moments into AI-generated images.

What happened

Lingverse, a company that previously went by the name Ling AI, announced new funding of $29 million to develop a device called iKairos. The company says the device can be worn as a pendant, clipped to clothing, or placed on a table mount, where it sits in one spot like the original Jibo robot.

Jibo was a small “social robot” from the mid 2010s that stayed in one place and tried to feel friendly by talking and moving its body a little. Jibo later shut down, but Lingverse says iKairos is being built with the “blessing” of Jibo’s founding team. Lingverse also says it holds some of Jibo’s key patents, which are legal protections for inventions, but it does not own the full rights to the Jibo brand.

The company is sharing only limited details about what iKairos will do day to day. Lingverse describes it as an “AI journal,” meaning it watches for important moments and then creates AI-generated images as a kind of memory recap (like a scrapbook that redraws your day). A company representative told WIRED the device does not record video, takes snapshots that are later deleted, and only records audio when it detects a human voice.

Lingverse says the device will likely cost between $199 and $249, and it may also require a subscription for extra features. Presales are planned for later this year.

Why it matters

More companies are trying to sell always-ready AI assistants that you wear or keep at home, and iKairos adds a camera and “memory” features to that idea. For buyers, the big questions will be what it actually captures, how much control families have over what gets saved, and whether the privacy promises match real-world use.

Source: Wired