NEW YORK CITY — The Kobi Company introduces Kobi, the world’s first multi-functional robot for yard work in all seasons. The 3-in-1 autonomous robot can remove snow, mow the lawn, and clean up leaves, relieving users of the arduous and time-consuming task of yard work.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Americans who are engaged in lawn and garden care spend an average of two hours per day on the activity. Kobi gives this time back to users, while still providing them with perfectly groomed lawns and driveways.
“People are increasingly searching for ways to improve their work-life balance and spend more time on what truly matters to them,” says The Kobi Co. Co-founder and CTO Steven Waelbers. “Kobi helps them achieve additional leisure time by acting as a personal gardener that’s available 24/7. For individuals who have difficulties performing yard work due to health issues, the convenience is even greater. Snow removal can be a physically challenging task, and is linked to hundreds of heart attacks and injuries every year. With Kobi, people no longer need to go outside in the cold to shovel snow.”
When first bringing the robot home, the companion app enables the user to drive Kobi around the yard or driveway so the robot can learn the perimeter of those spaces and where any fixed obstacles are located, eliminating the need for tedious boundary wires. The app is also used to teach Kobi where to blow the snow or dump the leaves.
Kobi uses GPS and a suite of sensors to achieve its inch-level position accuracy and also features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile data connectivity. This level of connectivity makes it possible for Kobi to monitor the weather forecast and know, for example, when it will snow and alert the user accordingly so the robot can proactively begin clearing snowfall as soon as it starts. There are also several built-in safety features, such as Kobi’s camera and ultrasonic sensors that help to detect objects and immediately shut down its operation when necessary.
Starting in December 2016, 10 beta versions of the robot will be available as the company’s engineers gather feedback. Applications are now available on The Kobi Company website to become a beta user. The yard-work robots will be available to the general public in the Northeast of the United States in early 2017. Prices start at $3,999.
Kobi unanimously won the 2016 RoboBusiness Pitchfire competition and will be on display at booth 11203 at the Green Industry & Equipment EXPO (GIE+EXPO), Louisville, Ky., October 19-October 21.
About The Kobi Co.
The Kobi Co. is a robotics company founded in 2015 and based in New York City. Their goal is to develop robots that can handle time-consuming, repetitive and arduous tasks, so their clients can focus on what truly matters in their lives.
