Humanoid robot Sprout for research: Amazon acquires Fauna Robotics
The humanoid robot Sprout seems to be of interest to Amazon. The company is buying the associated developer company Fauna Robotics.
The robot Sprout was created as a research and development platform. Amazon seems to want to make something of its own out of it.
(Image: Fauna Robotics)
Amazon is acquiring the robotics startup Fauna Robotics for an undisclosed sum. Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. Fauna had only launched a small humanoid robot named Sprout at the end of January 2026, which can be used for research and development purposes. Amazon presumably wants to use it as a platform for developing a personal robot for the home.
Neither company is currently disclosing the cost of Amazon's acquisition of Fauna Robotics. However, the robotics company will be integrated into Amazon's Personal Robotics Group. Fauna will thus become an Amazon company. Fauna's current 50 employees will be taken over, including the two founders, Rob Cochran and Josh Merel, who will work under Amazon's direction in the future.
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Sprout is a small humanoid robot with 29 degrees of freedom. It is 107 cm tall and weighs 22.7 kg. Fauna has covered the body with a rubber-like material to prevent injuries in case of accidental contact with people. The robot is designed as a platform for research purposes at universities and schools and for development.
New Home Robot?
The online retailer is not providing any concrete details about Amazon's plans for Fauna. Amazon simply states that the company wants to learn from the developer community that uses the humanoid Sprout. This leaves room for speculation. For example, Amazon could use the insights gained from Sprout to develop its own small humanoid household robot or a personal home robot. It is also conceivable that Sprout is to be directly repurposed into a product for everyone, usable not only by developers and researchers.
Amazon had previously developed a rolling robot for private households with Astro and tried to establish it as a home robot. When this failed due to a lack of meaningful applications, Amazon launched it on the US market as a mobile surveillance robot for businesses, as Astro for Business. However, even here, the concept with additional paid subscriptions was not well received, so the robot was discontinued in July 2024.
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Amazon now seems to be making another attempt at a home robot with the purchase of Fauna Robotics. However, Amazon is always on the lookout for acquisitions of robotics startups. The tech giant recently acquired the robotics company RIVR. The startup develops four-legged robots that can also move on wheels, allowing them to overcome obstacles faster. The robot is equipped with a cargo compartment and designed to deliver packages through an opening flap.
(olb)
