Terry KS Singapore-based InsBotics has officially launched Pophie on Kickstarter, an emotionally intelligent AI companion designed to proactively engage with people in real-world environments without waiting for a command. With early bird shipping expected in July 2026, Pophie aims to redefine the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence through emotion, memory, and physical presence.
SINGAPORE, 19 MAY 2026 – Artificial intelligence has long been a reactive technology — powerful, yet passive, waiting to be summoned. InsBotics, a Singapore-based robotics and AI company founded in 2024, wants to change that entirely. The company has officially launched Pophie on Kickstarter, introducing what it describes as a true AI lifeform built to share space with people, sense their surroundings, and initiate connection on its own terms.
Unlike smart speakers or chatbot-driven devices housed in plastic shells, Pophie is designed as a physical companion intended to live on a desk, a bedside table, or a kitchen counter — blending into everyday home life rather than demanding attention from a corner of the room. Early bird shipping is expected to begin in July 2026.
Tang Qi, Founder of InsBotics, articulated the vision plainly: most AI today can answer you, but Pophie can notice you. She can turn toward a person, react to touch, remember what matters, sense what is happening in a room, and choose the right moment to connect.
At the heart of Pophie’s design is a convergence of several intelligent systems. Her semantic vision allows her to recognise objects held up to her and respond to physical gestures, turning interaction into a shared, tactile experience. Her spatial audio system enables her to identify who is speaking in a crowded room and direct her attention accordingly. An emotional modeling framework — built on Valence, Arousal, and Dominance parameters — drives fluid, authentic expressions through her eye movements, voice tone, and five-degree-of-freedom body language, ensuring her moods shift naturally with each moment rather than cycling through scripted animations.
Pophie is also a deeply tactile presence. An eight-point touch-sensing surface allows her to register pats, strokes, and hugs, while her instincts extend further — she can be startled by sudden sounds, feel disoriented when shaken, and respond to affection in kind.
Her memory architecture enables her to retain names, personal preferences, routines, and important dates, using that context to determine when to offer encouragement, share a joke, or quietly stay in the background. This proactive intuition, rather than passive responsiveness, is positioned as the defining difference between Pophie and conventional AI devices.
Privacy has been built into the product from the ground up. Pophie’s visible eye states signal when she is actively engaged, and users retain full control over how memories, photos, and personal data are stored and managed. The company is explicit that she is designed to live with people, not monitor them.
Prior to the Kickstarter launch, Pophie was tested by more than 50 beta users in real-world home environments, with their feedback directly shaping her final behaviour and personality. InsBotics plans to expand her capabilities over time through a growing Skills ecosystem, extending her presence beyond digital chat into tangible, real-world interactions.
The team behind InsBotics brings together veterans from leading global AI and robotics organisations, with founders and engineers whose previous consumer products have collectively reached hundreds of millions of users worldwide.