Buntu, the desk robot: a graphite body on rubber tracks with mint ears and a smartphone face showing two smiling orange eyes.

Pre-bookings open · First batch

Build a robot
that looks back.

Buntu is a desk companion you assemble yourself. An ESP32 body on tracks, your Android phone as its face, and an AI agent that can actually get things done.

Pre-book your Buntu Put it on your desk in AR

Pre-booking is free. No payment now: we confirm everything with you before anything is charged.

ESP32 brainThree-axis headTracks that never leave the deskFace & gesture recognitionWake word on-deviceAI agent built in

See it move

Every move, straight from its brain.

These clips are Buntu's real behaviour engine and the AI policy that runs on your phone, driving a physics simulation of the final robot — the same code that moves the real one.

Meet Buntu0:28

Tracks, a three-axis head and a face that's your phone, in under thirty seconds.

It explores your desk0:43

Roams on its own, maps where the desk ends, and never drives off it.

How it learned to move0:18

Thousands of practice runs, from wobbly to smooth.

Personality

Every move it knows4:36

All 71 behaviours, from a sleepy yawn to a victory lap.

The dramatic set1:10

Finger-gun duels, fainting, offended huffs and big celebrations.

Before training3:26

The same moves played straight to the motors, before its brain learned to smooth them out.

It never falls off the desk

Four drop sensors under the corners and the phone's camera watch where the desk ends.

A minute of exploring1:00

With the map it builds as it goes.

Edge reflex0:06

The tracks stop before the desk runs out.

Won't follow you off0:09

It follows you to the edge, then asks you to come back.

Picked up, set down0:10

Lift it and the tracks freeze; put it down and it carries on.

How it learned

Buntu's moves were trained with reinforcement learning: many simulated Buntus practising at once, millions of times.

Training timelapse0:32

Millions of practice steps in half a minute.

Practice: braking0:28

A charge and a hard stop, early attempts to final.

Practice: dodging0:21

Learning to duck and sidestep without tipping.

Practice: noticing you0:12

Turning to look up at you, the polite way.

2 million steps0:16

Many Buntus, still wobbly.

10 million0:16

Finding their balance.

24 million0:16

Moves start to flow.

46 million0:16

Smooth and in character.

Buntu in cream with mint ears, the look it has in AR: a phone face with happy orange eyes on a three-axis neck, on rubber tracks.

Buntu in AR

Put Buntu on your desk. Right now.

Open it on your phone, point at your desk and tap. Buntu appears, looks up at you and gets on with its day. Pet it, double-tap to make it dance, tap the desk to call it over, put your mug in its way, or just say “hi Buntu”.

  • The same moves and brain as the real robot
  • Explores your desk and stops at the edge
  • Sees the things on your desk, like a laptop or a mug, and steers round them
  • Android (Chrome) and iPhone (Safari); 3D on computers
Open Buntu in AR

What it does

Small robot. Surprisingly good company.

Buntu sits beside you while you work, play or learn. It pays attention, stays quiet until you need it, and has real skills when you do.

Talks when you call it

Say “Hey Buddy”. It listens for its wake word right on the phone and stays quiet the rest of the time.

Follows your face

A three-axis neck and tracks keep you in view, and hold a comfortable talking distance.

Dances on the beat

Six built-in songs, each with its own choreography — from Twinkle Twinkle to Robo Disco.

Knows who’s there

Recognises you and greets you by name — and keeps your reminders to itself when someone else sits down.

Reacts to gestures

Wave hello, give it a thumbs-up, challenge it to a finger-gun duel. Every gesture goes to its brain.

Gets real work done

Research, reminders, morning briefs and email drafts — powered by a Hermes AI agent on your own server.

Close-up of Buntu's head: the phone face with two happy orange eyes, framed by the graphite helmet and mint ears.

The face is your phone

Expressive eyes. Real senses.

Your Android phone becomes Buntu’s face, eyes and ears. Its camera tracks faces and reads hand gestures on-device; its screen gives Buntu a personality that shows up in every blink.

  • Nine expressions, from curious to proud
  • On-device face tracking and gesture recognition
  • Talks back in its own voice

For makers & tech enthusiasts

Every layer is yours to hack.

Under the shell, Buntu is a real robotics stack you can open, read, rewire and reprogram — from the motor control up to an AI agent with tools.

Controller
ESP32 · PlatformIO firmware
Drive
2× N20 gear motors · rubber tracks
Head
3× servos: pan, tilt and roll
Safety
4 drop sensors + the phone camera looking ahead
Face
Any Android 8+ phone, landscape mount
Link
Bluetooth LE between phone and body
Vision
Face tracking, recognition & hand gestures
Voice
On-device wake word · optional OpenAI Realtime
Agent
Hermes Agent with Gmail, Calendar, WhatsApp & Telegram
Inside Buntu with the shell off: the ESP32 main board, the battery cells, the three head servos on the neck, and the rubber tracks.
A see-through Buntu: the clear shell shows the servos, battery and electronics that make it move.

For kids & curious learners

The best way to learn robotics is to build a friend.

Kids learn electronics, coding and AI by making something that looks back at them, knows their name and dances when they ask. That makes the lesson stick.

  1. BuildScrew together the chassis, wire the motors and servos, then snap on the shell.
  2. WakeFlash the firmware, pair the phone, and watch its eyes open for the first time.
  3. TeachTeach it your face, your name and your favourite song.
  4. ProgramInvent new moves and behaviours, from simple ideas to real code.

Designed for ages 10+ with an adult for assembly. Great for robotics clubs, labs and classrooms.

What’s in the kit

Everything to build Buntu. Just add your phone.

Buntu's magnetic face dock, exploded: the head shell with its ears, the Qi charging coil, the magnet ring and puck, and the phone that snaps on as its face.
  • Matte shell & lid
  • Chassis & mounting hardware
  • ESP32 main board
  • 2 gear motors & rubber tracks
  • 3 servos & three-axis neck
  • 4 drop sensors
  • Phone mount
  • Battery pack
  • Wires, cables, screws & screwdriver
  • Step-by-step build guide

Bring your own Android phone (Android 8 or newer).

Pre-book

Pre-book your Buntu.

It's free and non-binding. Tell us what you'd like and we'll get in touch to confirm the details before anything is charged.

I’d like

FAQ

Good questions.

Do I pay anything now?

No. Pre-booking is free and non-binding. We’ll contact you to confirm the details and delivery timelines, and you only pay once you decide to go ahead.

When will it ship?

We’ll share delivery timelines with people who pre-booked first, before we ask for payment.

Can I see it before I pre-book?

Yes. Watch the videos above, or open Buntu in AR and put it on your own desk: pet it, talk to it and watch it explore (Android and iPhone; 3D on computers).

Do I need my own phone?

Yes. An Android phone running Android 8 or newer becomes Buntu’s face, eyes and ears. An old phone in a drawer works well.

Will it fall off my desk?

No. Four drop sensors under its corners stop the tracks before the desk runs out, even without the phone, and the phone’s camera spots the edge coming while it explores.

Does it need the internet or a subscription?

Wake word, face tracking, gestures, dancing and songs run on the phone. The AI agent and cloud voice are optional and use your own OpenAI or OpenRouter account.

What age is it for?

Ages 10 and up with an adult for assembly. Teens and adults can build it on their own.

Can schools or labs order several?

Yes. Choose “A school, lab or club” in the form and tell us how many. We’ll get in touch about bulk kits.