This startup brought WALL-E to life and will also sell you WALL-E’s weird cousin

An image of Zeroth’s W1 robot

Zeroth’s W1 robot isn’t quite WALL-E — but it’s close.

An AI robotics startup called Zeroth is turning WALL-E into a real-life robot companion. Though the WALL-E version with the Disney-licensed design is currently only on sale in China, Zeroth is launching what looks like an off-brand version of the beloved bot in the US for $5,599.

The bot, called the W1, doesn’t feature WALL-E’s yellow color scheme or humanlike eyes, but it comes with the same dual-tread design that is supposed to help the bot travel over grass, gravel, and slopes. Zeroth says the W1 is designed for use at home or in “light” scenarios, as it can carry up to 110 pounds – more than double its 44-pound weight – while using lida …

Read the full story at The Verge.