BUDDY

Buddy is a rolling companion robot from Blue Frog Robotics, a French company that has deployed thousands of units across Europe. It shows expressions on an 8-inch touch screen, tilts its head, and moves on omni wheels through homes, schools, and care facilities.

Out of the box, Buddy can chat with generative AI, run telepresence sessions, send reminders, and host cognitive games. Schools use it as a classroom avatar for hospitalized students. Nursing homes use it for social stimulation and activity support. Developers can build custom apps through an Android SDK sold as an annual license.

Pricing is not one simple consumer SKU. Blue Frog sells Buddy PRO bundles from about €2,500 ex-tax plus annual software subscriptions, while US distributor Wellbots lists a Buddy social robot package around $4,890 with 1–3 day ship claims. Many deployments are professional quotes for education, health, or hospitality.

HomeBotRadar tracks Buddy because it is one of the longest-running emotional companion platforms in real elder-care and inclusion programs, not just a trade-show prototype. Compare it with ElliQ for stationary home elder companions, Mirokaï for expressive facility robots, or Loona if you want a smaller buyable pet bot for the living room.