Casio has opened pre-orders for its robotic pet named Moflin, which looks like a cross between a hamster and a hamster Star Trek's Tribbles. Unlike Sony's robot dog Aibo, which can follow you, Moflin is designed to be held and cuddled. Casio says he learns who you are over time and tries to create a simulated bond that expresses itself through unique sounds and movements.
Moflin was originally developed in collaboration with a Japanese startup called Vanguard Industries and is now manufactured and distributed by Casio. It is available for pre-order for ￥59,400 (approximately $398) and is expected to be available starting November 7th. Casio also offers an optional subscription service called Club Moflin for ￥6,600 (about $44) per year, which gives you a discount on repairs, cleanings, and even a complete coat change. Accidents happen.
The Moflin from Casio is not designed as a toy like the Aibo from Sony. It's intended to be more of a calming companion and possibly a tool to improve your mental well-being, similar to Qoobo, the headless robot cat. While Moflin is held, its limited head and body movements are intended to give the feeling that the furry robot is trying to cuddle with you, and like many devices launching this year, there are some AI-powered features too.
Moflin is designed to learn to recognize the person who interacts with it the most based on their voice and the way they interact with the bot, and to respond with unique sounds and movements that are expressed only to that person, to simulate a close bond.
The robot is also designed to develop its own simulated emotions and personality, which can change over time. With regular interaction it becomes happy, safe and calm. If ignored, he can become stressed, anxious and sad. However, given the robot's limited emotional capabilities, it does not make sad noises or exhibit fearful wiggles to demonstrate these feelings. Its emotional state can only be determined via an app, making it almost feel like a very expensive Tamagotchi, without any digital reward for a diligent caregiver. The app can also be used to reduce the volume of the robot's sounds.
To further enhance the illusion that Moflin is a living creature, no USB cable is required, but rather a small bed in which the robot appears to sleep while it charges. Casio estimates battery life to be around five hours on a full charge, while a three and a half hour nap charge will have it ready to be your emotional support bot again.