Casio’s AI-powered robot pet, Moflin, is now available for pre-order in Japan, heralding the start of a dystopian future for pet owners where you send your furry companion to Casio’s repair center instead of taking him to the vet.
Moflin looks like a big guinea pig, without a mouth, or as Audio Editor, Becky Scarrott puts it, “a Porg from Star Wars, but horizontal.” It is meant to be held and cuddled, giving you the emotional bond you would get with a pet, without the responsibility of caring for a living creature.
Moflin was originally developed by Vanguard Industries and first came to Ny Breaking’s attention at CES 2021. Now Casio produces and distributes the furry friend across Japan for 59,400 yen (approximately $400 / £305 / AU$600). Moflin will begin shipping on November 7 and comes with an optional subscription service to cover any repairs, including coat replacement.
Casio’s Moflin launch trailer shows a woman interacting with the fluffy robot all day, cuddling with it in bed and even letting it sit on the dining room table while she eats – either a lonely vision of the future, or the dream emotional support animal.
Moflins official website says, “Like a living animal, Moflin possesses emotional abilities and movements that evolve through daily interactions with his environment.” The robot will also “develop its own unique personality and as it becomes 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 if you ignore the AI-powered fluff ball, he will become stressed, anxious and longing for love. However, you can’t tell from the body language, but Moflin’s state of mind is only visible through an app, which seems a bit too robotic for my taste.
Casio says the Moflin’s battery lasts 5 hours on a single charge, slightly less than my French Bulldog Kermit’s 24 hours. If you want to increase his power, Moflin sits in a cute charging bed and needs a 3.5 hour power boost to boost your emotional well-being again.
Moflin feels like the Tamagotchi of the TikTok generation, but just like the ’90s, digital pets can only go so far. Part of being a pet owner is loving and caring for something that is completely dependent on you. I’m not sure if a notification that Moflin needs to be charged is exactly the same.