Why won't we let robots into our homes – and our hearts?

Last week, Anki, creator of adorable robots that are part toy, part virtual assistant and part pet, went out of business. "It is with a heavy heart to inform you that Anki has ceased product development and we are no longer manufacturing robots," the company said in a statement, which promised to help owners keep enjoying their little mechanical pals for as long as possible. Why did Anki – a company that had attracted a huge amount of funding and interest in its earlier days – find itself so strapped for cash that it had to pull the plug? Vector's expressions were designed by a professional character artist (Image credit: Anki) Robot vacuum cleaners are one thing – we might feel a little affection towards them, but they're very utilitarian. When it comes to robots for fun and companionship, we're much more hesitant.