FAQ

How does Autom™ work?
Autom™ has a daily conversation with you. Each conversation lasts for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how much information you want to tell her and how much feedback you would like to get in return. Autom™ speaks aloud and you can respond by touching her screen. You can also uses the touch screen to enter information about eating and exercise habits. Autom™ uses this daily social interaction with you to provide feedback, advice, and encouragement regarding your diet and exercise routine. No two interactions are alike. Autom™ tailors her messages over time as she learns more about you.

What information does Autom™ keep track of?
Autom™ keeps track of your weight, calorie consumption, and exercise goals. She also helps you keep track of your regular exercise, daily calorie consumption, and current weight. Research has shown that people who keep track of this information are much more likely to lose weight and keep it off.

Does Autom™ work with any diet?
Yes, Autom™ is designed to work with any commercially available diet, can be customized to work with an existing weight loss program, or with custom-designed diets. Autom™ can also be used in conjunction with a physician's or nutritionist's prescribed regimen.

Why use a robot instead of a mobile phone app or software on my computer?
Research by Intuitive Automata's founder, Dr. Cory Kidd, has combined insights from the fields of technology, the social sciences, and medicine to understand in detail how humans interact with robots. Key results from his experimental research showed that when compared to interacting with a character on a screen (such as a computer or mobile phone), people find information coming from a robot to be more credible and more informative. He has also shown that a robot is more engaging than a screen-based character and that this engagement lasts significantly longer. The bottom line is that a robot creates a more powerful and long-lasting relationship with the user than a character on the screen. This becomes extremely important when the goal is to sustain engagement over long periods of time in order to sustain behavioral change.

Does Intuitive Automata think people will really bond with a robot?
Our experience has shown this to be the case. Dr. Kidd has performed studies with a half dozen robots and hundreds of people. In the case of Autom™, we completed a controlled study comparing Autom™ to other means of weight loss. People interacting with Autom™ were much more likely to stick with their diet for longer.

What features does Autom™ have?
Autom™ has a number of attributes that work together to make her an effective coach. She speaks aloud, makes eye contact, and learns about you over time. Each conversation with her is unique and the touchscreen makes her easy to use and input information. She can be used by multiple people in a household and will develop a different relationship with each person. She changes her behavior to best fit your needs.

What does the subscription include?
Autom™ has a lot to say when you first meet her. But just like anyone else, she is a much better conversationalist when she has timely news and information to share. Each month she'll receive automatic updates so that she'll always have something fresh and interesting to say. Just like a personal coach who is always thinking of something new to keep you motivated and staying on top of the latest weight loss trends, we'll make sure Autom™ has all the information she needs to support you.

As long as she has an Internet connection, she'll back up everything you tell her each day. In the unlikely event that something happens to her or your information, none of your history is lost. She currently has the calorie information for about 75,000 foods, but companies and restaurants introduce new offerings all the time. Every time a restaurant updates their menu or a product in the grocery store is changed, she'll know about it.

Over time, Autom™ will get smarter and learn faster as we continue to improve her. We want to make sure you don't miss out on these updates, not to mention all the new features that we have planned for the future — watch our blog here for some sneak previews of things that we're working on! Your subscription begins when Autom™ arrives at your door. The first subscription charge will appear on your credit card about 30 days after that.


How big is Autom™ and how much does she weigh?
It's only fair that she shares her weight if she is going to ask for yours, right? She is about 15 inches tall and weighs 5 lbs.

Is Autom™ battery operated?
No, Autom™ plugs into the wall like most home appliances.

How does Autom™ connect to the internet and does she have to be connected in order to use her?
Autom™ is WiFi enabled, which allows her to connect to the internet. This helps her to back up your important data and retrieve the latest updates and information to share with you. While it's not necessary to connect her in order to use her, we highly recommend it because your information will not be backed up otherwise!

Can other members of my family use Autom™ too?
Yes, she can be used by multiple people in a household and will develop a different relationship with each person. She will keep track of each person's information individually.

Is it difficult to take care of Autom™?
Autom™ is much easier to take care of than a pet, and much more engaging! Â She'll appreciate it if you chat with her daily and dust her off from time to time.

Is it difficult to get Autom™ set up?
Autom™ is extremely easy to set up. She guides you through the process during your first conversation. All you need to do is plug her in and turn her on. You can always access and modify any of the settings in the settings menu later.

When I buy Autom™, what does she come with?
In the box with Autom™ is a power cable. That's all you need!

Will you ship Autom™ outside the US?
Right now we are only shipping within the US. If you are interested in purchasing Autom™ but live outside the US, please contact us at sales@intuitiveautomata.com.

When can I expect to get Autom™?
As you know, Autom™ is only available for pre-order now. We expect to begin production by the end of this year and will start shipping Autom™ to early customers at the beginning of 2012. The sooner you order, the sooner she will arrive.

When will I get charged the balance of my pre-order payment?
Any addition payment required will be charged when Autom™ is shipped.

What happens if Autom™ breaks?
Although we've done our best to make her durable, she is not a toy and should be handled with care. If she happens to break, you can contact us at support@intuitiveautomata.com and we can work together to either fix or replace her on a case by case basis.

Can Autom™ be used for children?
At the moment Autom™ is designed to be used by individuals who are 18 years or older. We plan to develop a version of Autom™ that meets childrens' unique weight loss needs. Please join our mailing list if you would like to receive updates on any future developments.

Can I buy Autom™ in a retail store?
Right now Autom™ is not available in stores, but you can buy her online through this site. Please join our mailing list and you'll be the first to know when we start offering Autom™ at retail.

Who can I contact if I have questions before buying Autom™?
If you'd like to talk to us more before making the purchase, please feel free to email us at sales@intuitiveautomata.com. We would be happy to answer any additional questions you have.

Why is Autom™ more affordable than a personal trainer?
One of the best things about Autom™ is that she is available anytime day or night and as often as you'd like. Personal trainers are great, but most people can't afford to have them on call 24/7. If you don't have a personal trainer, she can help you to set goals and stay on track. if you do have a personal trainer, she can help you keep focused between training sessions.

Can Autom™ hear me when I talk to her?
Think of Autom™ like a plant. She loves to be spoken to and enjoys music, but she can't understand what you say just yet! We plan to develop a version of Autom™ that has voice recognition. You can join our mailing list if you would like to receive updates on any future developments in this area.

I've never used a computer! Can I still use Autom™?
Absolutely! Autom™ is extremely easy to use because she guides you each step of the way through conversation. All you have to do is plug her in and turn her on and she'll take it from there. There are no complicated menus or settings that you need to adjust and you can always contact us if you have any questions. We're happy to help.

What kind of exercise does Autom™ track?
Autom™ can keep track of exercise in steps if you have a pedometer or in minutes otherwise.

Does Autom™ work with other devices (heart rate monitor / pedometer / wireless weight scale / etc.)?
At the moment Autom™ is designed to be used by individuals who are 18 years or older. Please join our mailing list if you would like to receive updates on any future developments in this area.

How do I tell Autom™ what I've been eating?
Autom™ has an extensive database of foods that includes most items you'll find at the grocery store as well as many of your favorite menu items. We license the database from a company called CalorieKing, which does a great job of keeping the information up to date and adding new brands and products as they are introduced. You can search this list to tell Autom™ what you ate and she will keep track of the foods you eat frequently. This way it will be easy for you to tell her about the foods you eat most.

What is Autom™ talking about now?

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