LG's cute Rolling Bot was never meant to escape the lab

LG never intended to launch its cute Rolling Bot

We've been rather taken with the LG Rolling Bot at MWC 2016 – it's a cute ball with a camera and laser pointer which rolls around your home acting as a spy camera and cat entertainer. Sure, it's not the most serious product, but we're lucky to be getting it at all.

Techradar spoke to Shaun Musgrave, LG's UK Product Manger, who revealed that the Rolling Bot was only ever intended as an internal project.

"Originally we didn't plan to launch the Rolling Bot. It was a design concept we built in the R&D lab, but people loved it so much we decided to release it."

Feel the love

The Rolling Bot certainly seemed to be a hit at the LG booth, but we're still waiting on a price – which could be the sticking point for the device. It's unlikely to be overly cheap, and a high price tag could severely limit its appeal.

You can control the Rolling Bot via an app, with controls similar to that of the BB-8 Sphero. And with the device connected to your home internet you'll be able to take it for a spin even if you're on the other side of the world.

There's also a 'cat mode' which sees the Rolling Bot plot its own path around your home while shining a laser beam to keep your moggy entertained.

The LG Rolling Bot will be available later this year, although an exact release date is yet to be confirmed.

John McCann
Global Managing Editor

John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.