Companion articulations
Companion body main processing, sensing and connectivity
Companion docking station
Companion head
Companion wheel drive
Humanoid hand
Companion robot configurations
| Form | Mobility | Arms | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small humanoid | Stationary or wheeled | Yes | Healthcare support, Comfort and acceptance for elderly companionship |
| Tabletop (non-humanoid) | Stationary | No | Home assistant, reminders, video calls |
| Pet-like | Wheeled or legged | No | Comfort and companionship for children and older adults |
| Mobile companion | Wheeled | Sometimes | Following, monitoring and telepresence around the home or Healthcare support |
| Stationary half-body | Fixed | Yes | Cognitive engagement and assessment at a fixed point |
Regardless of their form—semi-humanoid, tabletop, stationary, or wheeled—companion robots are built around hardware prime concerns: natural interaction, on-device intelligence, awareness of the user’s surroundings, while protecting the privacy of what they see and hear.
ST's porfolio address the main challenges and key features of Companion robots. Time of Flight sensing ensures proximity detection, obstacle avoidance and depth sensing for safe navigation and spatial awareness. Edge AI-STM32N6 enable HW-accelerated AI inference for image recognition, gesture detection and human presence sensing directly on the robot. MEMS IMU is used for acceleration and rotation measurements for orientation, motion and robot stability. STM32 MCUs/MPUs are the central controllers to run articulations while STSPIN motor drivers turn the joint motors. STSAFE-A supports trusted operations, while functional safety, ESD protection, and protected wired interfaces help the system operate reliably in a real-world environment. ST Power management and signal conditioning complete the platform foundation.
Enabling technologies
| Edge AI | Security |
| STM32N6 | STSAFE |
| Connectivity | Sensing |
| Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi | ToF, CMOS sensors, MEMS |
Example applications
| Elderly care companion | Healthcare support |
| Daily reminders, monitoring and companionship for older adults | Patient experience reduce stress, anxiety, and isolation, therapeutic engagement |
| Wellbeing | Cognitive engagement |
| Improve comfort, motivation & healthy behavior | Improve interaction, autonomy and quality of life |