It is something between WALL-E, R2-D2 and Tamagotchi. But is Anki's Vector as big a step forward for robotics as the manufacturer claims?

Python robot programming methods: hybrid automata (behavior state machine) So far we’ve described two behaviors—go-to-goal and avoid-obstacles—in isolation.

The Python SDK opens up a whole host of exciting options: It not only lets you add your own functions to Vector, but also learn Python along the way. In fact, the robot is particularly interesting ...

If you understood Python, and had even a rudimentary grasp of code, you could get Cozmo to do things that a traditional programmable robot might demand a PhD in robotics to figure out.