For those ’90s and ’00s kids who had an unhealthy attachment to FurReal Friends or Tomagotchis, these super-cute pet robots want to be the answer to your adult stress. — If you only have a few hundred dollars.
The newest AI pet, Moflin, is a fluffy, featureless robot pet that is advertised as a mental health pet rather than a toy. Much like a limbless guinea pig or a recognizable Ghibli creature, the fluff ball wiggles and makes noises just like the typical real pet toys already in stores. But AI brains are designed to: change one’s mood Depending on the situation, they may recognize and form attachments to human “caregivers.”
Additionally, 59,400 yen, or $398, will be paid to prospective adopters. There’s also an optional $44 per year repair service called Club Moflin.
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The AI-powered plush first debuted at CES 2021, with developer Vanguard Industries claiming it to be an emotionally capable pet robot that can intuitively learn from its handler to provide companionship. Now, in collaboration with tech manufacturing giant Casio, the fuzzy pet has finally hit the market.
Moflin owners need access to the app to check their pet’s emotional state, which reflects and responds to the human’s own mood and care. Each robot has a unique personality, but everyone has a great time, according to the company. “Hugging.” They even recharge in their own little beds. A quick YouTube search for a Moflin will show owners dressing their little ones, driving them around in baskets, and tucking them under fluffy blankets.
Moflin is currently pre-order Customers in Japan will be able to purchase from November 7th. Casio has yet to announce a wider release.
subject
artificial intelligence mental health
