A Sphero spinoff company has launched a new toy robot.

Called Misty II, it comes from Misty Robotics. It's actually a second generation robot, as the first one debuted at CES 2018 in January. Misty I was in beta and limited to a few developers. Misty II is more refined, with a gray-and-white body and two arms, but it still has those cute cartoon eyes and a screen for a face. Misty II is not quite for the average consumer, but it is being pitched at STEM students and tinkerers.

The "programmable robot" is powered by two Qualcomm Snapdragon processors and runs on Windows IoT Core and Android 7 operating systems. It features a far-field array mic, a 4K camera, support for Wi-Fi, facial recognition, two speakers, and a load of sensors for mapping and detecting objects. With these specs, you can download or make your own skills, via visual block-based programming or JavaScript APIs.

It's capable of recognising people, autonomous navigation, charging itself on a dock, and more. Misty Robotics' website suggests you program it to serve as a security patrol guard for your home or maybe as a playmate for your pet for when you're not home. Misty Robotics said it's ideal for people who are passionate about robots but lack the skills, degree, and finances required to become a full-blown roboticist.

Misty Robotics has launched a 30-day crowdfunding campaign with huge discounts on Misty II. It will retail for $3,200, but if you grab it now you could save upward of 50 per cent.

The company said the robot should ship by 4 December.