17 years later, an A.I. and machine-learning company is making a robot pal that will do way more than its fuzzy predecessor. It's called Musio, and it houses a pretty impressive A.I. engine developed by a company called AKA.

The robot remembers details from prior conversations, asks follow-up questions based on that info, and can be used as a smart-home controller. But its main goal is to be your friend: Asking you questions, actually listening to your answers, and learning what you're all about.

Using add-on packs, developers can program the robot with Arduino-compatible boards, accelerometers, and Zigbee modules. There are also packs that are designed to help kids with reading, vocabulary, and conversational skills.