World, meet Vector. Having been in development since we released Cozmo back in October 2016, Vector is the culmination of our robotics and artificial intelligence technologies, going back to the launch of Anki DRIVE. These include facial recognition, mapping and path planning, and our distinct approach to character.

Vector also brings a multitude of new technologies to our developer community. Comprised of nearly 700 parts—double that of Cozmo—Vector has built-in online connectivity, a color HD camera, a four-microphone array, a time-of-flight sensor, and much more.

A look at Vector’s hardware technologies.

Best of all, we’ll be releasing a free SDK for Vector early next year allowing you to harness all of his new hardware and software technologies.

Want to get early access to the SDK and help shape its features? Users who pre-order Vector during the limited-time promotion will gain access to the SDK alpha this winter, in addition to a 20% discount and some other great insider perks.*

Early access Vector SDK users will help define the platform.

How to Pre-order

  • For the US, we’ve partnered with the fine folks at Kickstarter to support the launch of Vector. Head on over to the campaign page to lock in your early SDK access and special pricing.

  • UK residents can simply head over to www.anki.com for pre-order details.

  • Australia residents should visit our friends at JB Hi-Fi to pre-order Vector.

  • Live in Canada? You can pre-order Vector through our friends at Best Buy.

We’ll have much more to say about Vector in the coming days and weeks so keep an eye on the Kickstarter page for exclusive news, videos, and more.

Until then, visit the new Vector SDK forum and let us know what features you’d love to see in the SDK.

* Not all perks will be available in all territories. See the relevant Vector pre-order page for details on your region.

Posted by Kaiser

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Top Comments

  1. dst says:

    I got up early and managed to be the 10th backer on Kickstarter. Woohoo!

    Looking forward to developing Calypso support for Vector.

  2. Thanks for the support, @dst!

    Calypso for Vector will be amazing. :slight_smile:

  3. How will this compare to Cozmo as far as the SDK and Education are concerned?

    Will the two be compatible (obviously with Cozmo not having all the functions like the front distance sensor etc)? For schools it will be important that the robots don’t clash on their computers.

    I assume it will have a different app than Cozmo? Or are you combining the two?

    Will Vector have Code Lab?

    Are you planning on phasing out Cozmo or is the plan to keep him on the shelves for the foreseeable future?

    Will we be able to create multi color images on the display?

    Thanks!

    Keith

  4. cyke says:

    Hello Keith ,

    I can answer to some questions about Vector.

    Vector own its own mobile application but you can use it only to start the vector robot because Vector is TOTALLY AUTONOMOUS :+1:
    It’s brain seems to be inside the robot (Quallcomm 200). So we don’t need like Cozmo a smartphone always connected :+1:

    Vector has an IPS color LCD so it can display color photo it took of you on his little screen :+1:

  5. If that’s true that could be great. A tough selling point for schools is having to buy not only the Cozmos but also the devices. Wonder how the battery life will be with the added processor.

  6. cyke says:

    The Qualcomm 200 is a 4 cores processor. The mobile app should be used only for configuring the vectors I suppose so only one unique mobile device for many Vectors ! :+1:
    And for the battery no problem as soon as the battery becomes empty Vector return automatically to its charger ! :+1:

  7. While there will absolutely be educators and researchers who use Vector, we think Cozmo will continue to be popular in education. Not only does Cozmo offer Code Lab, but there is also @dst’s Calypso, the existing, robust catalog of SDK projects, and so on.

    For both SDK programs and general usage, Vector and Cozmo are not compatible. While the form factor is similar, under the hood, there are quite a few changes to accommodate the new hardware and features.

    As @cyke mentioned, Vector does not require an app beyond the initial setup. The Vector app includes some fun extra features, but we were able to basically put an entire smartphone inside of Vector.

    We’re focused right now on the SDK but Code Lab for Vector is something we may explore in the future.

    We are fully supporting Cozmo for the foreseeable future as we see him as a complementary platform to Vector, not a replacement. Each robot has unique features that cater to different audiences and needs.

    Absolutely. Vector has a full color display. :slight_smile:

  8. Well battery life does still matter. Classes often take place in 45 minute to 1 hour segments. So having the battery last that long can be fairly important. Much beyond that though, from a schools perspective, might not matter. Unless they have a scheduling issue which gets Cozmo/Vector back to back. But they can usually schedule around that so they can use them for an hour, charge for an hour, then use again.

  9. Thanks Kaiser.

    Yeah that color display is going to be awesome.

    What would the workflow be for a school? It sounds like Vector may still need a device to wake him up? Can there be one tablet the instructor uses, wakes up all the Vectors, and students connect?

    Bluetooth? Wifi?

    Long question short, how will a student program Vector from their laptop?

    Very excited about this!

  10. Actually, Vector won’t need a device to wake up. In normal usage, he is intended to always be on and connected to the cloud. (Vector can be turned off / on using a button on his back if needed, though). When using the SDK, you’ll connect to Vector wirelessly over the network.

  11. When a student is connected to Vector over the network will they simultaneously be able to head to your online documentation and stack overflow?

    Currently they can because the phone is tied up with Cozmo but the laptop can access the interwebs.

    Sorry for the hundred questions but I know these are questions schools will have as I help them set up makerspaces all the time. I’m sure you’re already swamped :slight_smile:

  12. Oh how cute! Cozmo officially has a little brother! I’m looking forward to this! :slight_smile:

  13. cyke says:

    Hello @N-Mario84,

    Cozmo is really the little brother of Vector.
    Vector is totally autonomous ! Yes , it has it’s brain inside him ! :+1:

  14. That depends. Cozmo was released a few years ago, Vector is gonna be released this year. Are we talking about years in development time? or the year they were publicly released? I was going by the year they were released. Well still, I’ll just say “new” brother from now on. LOL.

  15. cyke says:

    I said that because Vector has more advanced technology than Cozmo and more features !

  16. The short answer is, yes, students’ computers will absolutely have online access while working with the Vector SDK. :slight_smile:

  17. Hey, I’m a development manager at Comcast, and it would be really great to connect this to our TV’s as both a remote, and a fun assistive viewing experience. Is anyone working on this? Would love to have official help on this, and would be interested in anyone who might want to join my team to help with this. We have a great NLP/ML team here, and we have beam forming SW I might be able to convince folks to share for any wake up word stuff you are doing. Oh, and we are in the heart of DC, which is a pretty fun city…

    Tom Des Jardins
    Director, Comcast.

  18. Are you attempting to contact Anki directly or the general forum and the developers that visit it?

  19. Just pre-ordered Vector…can’t wait…we love you Anki…x

  20. Wish I could pre-order Vector unfortunately not possible living in Australia. However still made a small pledge to show my support!! 89% funded!! Go Anki!

    Q, will Vector be able to recognise is older brother Cozmo?

  21. Hi, @Cozmo_DAN! Actually, you can pre-order Vector in Australia right here. :slight_smile:

    Regarding your question, Vector and Cozmo will not interact with each other. While there’s some shared technology between them, they’re quite different under the hood.

  22. Thank you for the support, @Cybernet256! We think you’ll love Vector. :slight_smile:

  23. Oh boom ! Just done it!! Thanks a lot.

  24. I just ordered mine from JB Hifi in Australia and got $50 off. I can’t wait to meet him!
    Was Vector’s name originally “Victor”? It seems it was changed to “Vector” just before the press announcement. Why the change I wonder?

    Victor-2
    Victor-2.jpeg2048×1152 332 KB

  25. cyke says:

    Great ! Often I want to say Victor instead of Vector :slight_smile:️ It remembers Jarvis :blush:

  26. Often I want to Say Victor, not Vector. :slight_smile:️

    I think I would too, so close to my name.
    I’d prefer to say “Hey Buddie” instead.

  27. kaiser says:

    Thanks for your support, @CodingCozmo! Vector’s code name was Victor, but any similarity is just a coincidence (really!). Good catch!

  28. Thanks. That is an interesting coincidence! Why was “Victor” chosen as a code name? And why was “Vector” ultimately chosen?

  29. Is there a possibility to pre-order from the Netherlands? I’d love to help out testing Vector.

  30. Is there any chance of those of us who are early backers but located outside of the US to be a part of the Vector Insiders Club?

  31. cyke says:

    @CodingCozmo is right. I support the creation of a new award (a small fee) in the Kickstarter compaign for supporting Anki because we can’t buy Vector but we already have a good experience with its little brother :cry: so we could bring a great value and give good advice for the future for Anki :+1:

  32. Really? I don’t see an option for that. How much do we have to pledge and how do we nominate receive the reward of the Vector Insiders Club?

  33. kaiser says:

    Welcome back, @GrinningHermit! There isn’t an official pre-order for the Netherlands yet. For launch, Vector will only be available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. But we’ll definitely keep you posted as we look at new territories!

  34. A ton of people think this is US only. Where can we find the official word on how each country can get access?

  35. kaiser says:

    All of the pre-order information and relevant links are in the blog post and Kickstarter FAQ. :slight_smile:

  36. Thanks for the welcome and your answer. I’ve decided to back the kickstarter project and use a shipping construction to get a Vector anyway. Can’t wait!

    @CodingCozmo: It’s not cheap, but using a shipping construction might be a solution if they ship to your country.

  37. Just to be clear, I have already ordered Vector but because I am in Australia I was not able to enter the Kickstarter and had to order from JB Hifi instead. As such, I am locked out of the Vector Insiders Club. I just wanted to know if there was some way for those of us outside of the US who have paid for a Vector by other means to also get in on the Vector Insiders Club. We are early backers too but don’t get any of the perks that those in the US get.

  38. It’s the Vectors Insiders Club that appears to be US only. And it seems that Anki is limiting the sale of Vector to English speaking countries for now. I suspect that they’ll open that up to other non-English speaking countries once other languages are developed for Vector.

  39. Thanks. Another ‘Cozmonaut’ offered to buy a Vector in America and send it to me but it wouldn’t have really worked out much cheaper so I ordered one from local retailer JB Hifi instead. I was reluctant to do so because I had ordered my first Cozmo through JB Hifi and it turned up in a box that had already been ripped open. I’m currently on my 3rd Cozmo after the first two being faulty. I hope I don’t have the same problems with getting my Vector through JB Hifi.

  40. As much as people are pre-ordering/have already pre-ordered, and backing for Vector, I think I’m just gonna wait for the retailer release. I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait. Just look how much Cozmo has improved since its first initial release. I can just watch other ppl review their Vector until then. Besides, I am in no hurry of getting one. :slight_smile:

  42. Thank you for the warning, but that is very disappointing. :cry: Could you please elaborate on the reason for these restrictions? It feels as if foreign buyers are locked out on purpose and that seems like a strange policy for a company wanting to sell products.

  43. kaiser says:

    Definitely understand the situation is not ideal. And, of course, we want as many people to have Vector at home as possible. While there’s a lot to consider regarding shipping decisions, a couple significant factors are fraud and warranty support. Being able to properly support our customers drives a lot of our decisions, such as which territories we launch in.

    For what it’s worth, this practice is extremely common with many products and retailers in the US, and has always been our company policy. We understand it doesn’t change the situation, but please know it’s not an arbitrary restriction. We’re actively exploring new territories and hope Vector will available in more places as soon as possible!

  44. Thanks again for the quick reply. I appreciate your candor. Please tell me you will sell it through Amazon after Kickstarter? It’s one of the few retailers I can buy directly from and this would reduce the hassle of obtaining Vector.

  45. kaiser says:

    We’re still finalizing our retail plans but will share details as soon as we’re able. :slight_smile:

  46. PL175 says:

    Hi

    I keep referring to Vector as Victor as well. It would be good to be able to change his name.

    I strongly suspect the Vector name was chosen for branding, trademarking and copyright reasons, as Victor is likely either trademarked already or can’t be trademarked or have copyright in many territories due to it being a persons name in regular use. Other issues can be a name has negative connotations in some countries so can’t be used globally.

    It would be good to be able to name our robots to something of our own liking which would be more personable as well, however this is often avoided by companies as it’s great free advertising and gets the brand-name or product embedded into a language if everyone is made to continually speak the products name out loud! Take Google and Alexa as examples, it would be useful to call them by our own chosen name, and would avoid devices being activate accidentally due to overhearing their ‘call to action’ phrases on TV and radio, but they simply don’t want to do this as they prefer us to use the brand name continually.

    I suspect PR and marketing is behind what our robots are going to be called now and in the future, not their owners.

  47. dst says:

    I suspect there is a huge amount of work involved in getting a robot to RELIABLY recognize its activation phrase. You have to deal with male and female voices, dozens of possible accents, squeaky voiced children and quavering old folks… Changing the activation phrase is not as simple as just typing in a new one.

  48. It shouldnt be that terribly hard considering all of the voice recognition research that has already been done.

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