Aura, an AI-powered pet robot by Tuya Smart, aims to enhance emotional care for pets by tracking their behavior and providing real-time interaction.
Tuya Smart has unveiled Aura, its first AI-powered companion robot designed specifically for household pets, including cats and dogs. This innovative device utilizes artificial intelligence to recognize pet behaviors, movements, and vocal cues, addressing a growing need for emotional engagement in pet care.
The concept behind Aura is straightforward: pets require more than just food and surveillance; they need attention, interaction, and reassurance. Aura actively monitors pets at home, observing behavioral changes and responding in real time, which helps owners gain insights into their pets’ emotional states. Many pets experience stress or anxiety when left alone for extended periods, with subtle signs often emerging first. For instance, a dog may stop playing, while a cat might hide or groom excessively. Aura steps in during these quiet moments, providing engagement and companionship rather than leaving pets in an empty room.
While traditional smart feeders and pet cameras cover basic needs, emotional care presents a different challenge. Pets are inherently social creatures, and their moods can shift rapidly with changes in routine. Aura tracks behavior and listens for variations in sound patterns, allowing it to discern whether a pet is feeling excited, anxious, lonely, or relaxed. This information is relayed to the owner’s smartphone in real time, enabling early detection of potential issues.
Aura functions more like a companion than a stationary device. It employs multiple systems throughout the day to keep pets engaged. Rather than waiting for a button press, Aura proactively seeks opportunities for interaction, transforming long, quiet hours into moments of play and stimulation. Additionally, it captures everyday highlights—such as playful bursts, calm naps, and amusing interactions—using AI pet recognition and intelligent tracking. These moments can be automatically compiled into short videos, allowing owners to stay connected with their pets even when they are away. This feature also makes it easier to document and share special moments with family or on social media.
Movement is a key aspect of Aura’s functionality. Equipped with V-SLAM navigation, binocular vision, and AIVI object recognition, Aura can navigate freely around the home while avoiding obstacles. When its battery runs low, it autonomously returns to its charging dock, ensuring it remains ready for action without requiring constant attention from owners.
Aura is designed to integrate with Tuya’s broader ecosystem, which offers services beyond basic pet care. These services include smart pet boarding, health and medical care, behavior training, grooming, customization, and community tools. Rather than focusing on a single task, Aura serves as a central hub for comprehensive pet care that can evolve over time.
While Aura currently targets pet care, the underlying technology has broader implications. The principles of emotional awareness, proactive assistance, and ecosystem integration could also be applied to elder care, home monitoring, and family connectivity. By starting with pets, Tuya establishes a clear emotional use case while laying the groundwork for future advancements in home robotics.
Despite the excitement surrounding Aura, Tuya has yet to announce a release date or pricing details. The company introduced the robot earlier this month at CES 2026, but specifics regarding availability and cost remain unclear. These details are expected to emerge as the company approaches a wider consumer launch.
Aura represents a significant shift in how smart home technology interacts with pets, moving beyond simple monitoring to embrace interaction and emotional awareness. If Aura fulfills its promise, it could provide pet owners with greater peace of mind when leaving their pets home alone, while maintaining a connection throughout the day.
As technology advances to interpret and respond to pet emotions in real time, it raises questions about the role of such devices in our daily routines. Would you trust an AI companion to become part of your pet care regimen, or would that feel like an overstep? Share your thoughts with us at Cyberguy.com.
According to CyberGuy, the future of pet care is evolving with technology that prioritizes emotional well-being.