Enabot Ebo Familybot: Your Moving Camera at Home

2021-01-08T07:02:21

I can't even remember how I came across this but I'm glad I did.  I had never heard of this company and was a little hesitant to try it out but I was out of ideas on what to get my wife for Christmas.  I'm soooooo thankful I got this.  It was a hit!   A little background... we adopted our cat at the start of the pandemic when we started working from home.   My wife recently started going back to the office and was having some serious separation anxiety away from him.  I was trying to think of things to help with this and almost got that Furbo auto feeder that throws a treat and allows you to talk remotely.  Only a couple issues... a) like most cats, ours doesn't respond to treats very much and b) again, like most cats, ours is a sucker for movement and the Furbo is stationary.  At one point I was trying to figure out how to make a wifi remote driving car with a nest cam attached to it.  Then I came across the Ebo and it seemed to fit our needs.  This way she can play and interact with our cat while she's away at work.  She can see the cat with the video feed, control the Ebo remotely through her phone, and play with it by moving around or using the integrated laser pointer.  Also, like most webcams she can talks through her phone and it'll play on the Ebo's onboard speaker (it's not the loudest speaker but it works well enough) The setup was easy -- no more difficult than setting up a nest cam.  You download an app to your phone and set the Ebo up on your wifi network.  Warning:  the instructions are not great but it's intuitive enough to easily figure out.  Additionally, the instructions included something about a "Smart Collar" which was not included in the box, but it seems like it isn't required for operation.  I'm guessing the instructions were made for a pre-production version and they figured out a way to eliminate the need for the piece but didn't update the instructions.  The charging base is small and the Ebo comes with a few different equipment options to make it look like an onion, a feather, a "rice patty" hat, and a couple of silicone bumper sleeves.  It makes some noises that my wife finds very cute.  Upon power it goes "Ebo! Ebo!"  and the LED "eyes" do different animations.   Operating the Ebo is pretty easy.  It reminds me of a BB-8 from Star Wars.  The video feed to your phone is smooth and surprisingly crisp and responsive.  The controls are fine.  I didn't have really high expectations and with some practice you can get moving pretty quickly.  NOTE:  The wheels on the bottom are more like two tank tread belts so it really only moves in straight lines or turns.  When you go from full speed to stop, it rolls around in random patterns which actually kind of adds to the fun.  The app also has some pre-programmed movements like circling, tumble and roll, and random (again, the instructions aren't great about explaining but you can figure it out by playing with them).  When in doubt you can just turn on the on-board laser point the keep turning left and right to drive your cat wild.  ;-) My only suggestion for the next version of Ebo would maybe be to have two cameras --  one forward facing camera to see where you are driving and a rear facing one to watch your cat chasing Ebo.  We've found a workaround by just driving backwards when we want to see our cat chase Ebo.   The Good: _ Our cat loves playing with it _ A great way for pet owners to play with their cat / dog / spouse while they're away ;-) _ Easy, intuitive setup _ Surprisingly responsive controls and good video feed and recording Could use some improvement: _ Only drives in straight lines or turns _ Cat likes to harass Ebo when it's on it's charging stand _ Instructions could use improvement but it's pretty intuitive _ We would like to see an improved auto-play mode that can be programmed on a schedule like a Roomba _ Treads don't move well on carpet (as expected) In all, I recommend it.  Thankfully our cat loves playing with it (even when it's not moving).  Even if your pet hates it, it's kind of nice to have a mobile camera in your house to check on things while you're away.

GARY N.