Did Samsung just make the cutest robot dog yet? Lassie makes Aibo look like the Terminator

If you’re going to make a robot dog, you might as well make it cute. Samsung’s Lassie certainly looks the part, wrapping its mechanical body in a soft knitted suit and giving it a friendly way of interacting with its owner. And yes, I want to take it for a walk.

Lassie is a concept from Samsung Design Membership, designed around the idea that a robot companion could encourage some of the same behaviours as a real dog. Samsung’s designers surveyed more than 50 dog owners and found that dogs can encourage people to walk for longer, explore unfamiliar routes and even start conversations with strangers.

The robot is designed to accompany you indoors and outdoors, with a removable knitted suit covering much of its mechanical body. The material uses water- and stain-resistant CORDURA yarn, while the more exposed areas retain harder surfaces to protect against knocks and dirt.

That suit isn't just there to make Lassie look adorable, either. It can be removed and replaced, meaning the robot could have different outfits depending on where you're taking it.

Then there are the legs. Lassie has interchangeable leg modules for different jobs, with Basic legs for everyday walking, Explore legs for trails, Running legs for, well, running, and Wheel legs designed for quieter indoor movement.

Perhaps the cleverest part is how Lassie communicates. Rather than sticking a screen on its face or giving it a voice, the robot uses movement, gestures and subtle lighting to convey what it is doing. Its head light has a breathing effect, creating something that resembles eye contact without actually giving it eyes.

There's even a nose-touch interaction. Touch Lassie's nose and it can register your fingerprint as its owner, while two Lassies touching noses can trigger light spreading across their faces to signal a new connection.

The idea is that Lassie becomes a companion without trying too hard to look like an actual dog. It still looks like a machine, but the knitted covering and gentle movements make it considerably less intimidating than your average industrial robot.

There's even a concept for Lassie cleaning its own paws after an outing before coming back inside, followed by a charging bed where it can rest.

It's a lovely idea, although there's a fairly important catch. This is a design concept rather than a Samsung product you can actually buy.

There are no details on pricing, battery life, speed or when - or indeed whether - Lassie might become a real product.

Still, I think Samsung has got the look of this one pretty much spot on. Robot dogs have traditionally looked like machines first and pets second. Lassie feels like the first one I'd actually be tempted to have following me around. Now, Samsung, about that price...