Casio’s AI-powered robot pet, Moflin, is now available to preorder in Japan, ushering in the start of a dystopian pet-owner future where you send your furry partner to Casio’s repair center rather than take it to the vet.
Moflin looks like a large Guinea pig, without the mouth, or as Audio Editor, Becky Scarrott puts it, “a Porg from Star Wars, but horizontal.” It’s intended to be held and cuddled, bringing you the emotional connection you’d get with a pet, without the responsibility of looking after a living being.
Moflin was initially developed by Vanguard Industries, first coming to TechRadar’s attention at CES 2021. Now, Casio is manufacturing and distributing the furry friend across Japan for 59,400 yen (roughly $400 / £305 / 600AU$). Moflin will start shipping on November 7th and comes with an optional subscription service to cover any repairs, including a fur replacement.
Casio’s Moflin launch trailer shows a woman interacting with the fluffy robot throughout her day, cuddling with it in bed and even letting it sit on the dinner table as she eats - either a lonely vision of the future or the dream emotional support animal.
Moflin’s official website says, “Just like a living animal, Moflin possesses emotional capabilities and movements that evolve through daily interactions with its environment.” The robot will also “develop its own unique personality and as it gets attached to you”, making your Moflin unique to the experiences it has encountered.
Just like a real pet, Moflin will be happy when you spend time playing and loving it, but ignore the AI-powered fluff ball and it’ll get stressed and anxious, longing for love. You’ll not be able to tell from its body language, though, Moflin’s state of mind is only visible through an app, which seems a bit too robotic for my liking.
Casio says Moflin has a 5-hour battery life on a single charge, slightly less than my French Bulldog Kermit’s 24-hour runtime. If you need to boost its power, Moflin sits in a cute charging bed and requires a 3-and-a-half-hour power boost to help with your emotional well-being again.
Moflin feels like the TikTok generation’s Tamagotchi, but just like in the 90s, digital pets can only go so far. Part of being a pet owner is loving and caring for something that completely relies on you, I’m not sure a notification to say Moflin needs charging is quite the same.
