Skip to main content

Robotic furniture is our future

Robotic furniture is our future

Share this story

Furniture has largely avoided the smart home revolution, but robotic furniture is coming, and it may be the ultimate space-saver for anyone with an apartment or small home. Designer Yves Béhar has collaborated with Ori, a company spun off from MIT Media Lab's CityHome project, to create a line of architectural robot units that can be used in place of the furniture in your home.

Ori uses modular mechatronics to offer full-scale bedroom, living room, and offices in one unit. From retractable beds and desks, to configurable shelves and closets, the Ori — derived from origami — System allows you to open up additional space in your living area with a touch of a button (or using the app).

The company hasn't said how much the Ori Systems will cost, but the first units will be going out to developers in early 2017, with a pilot program to follow. But given that two units can nearly fit all of the furniture in a one-bedroom apartment, it's safe to say it won't exactly be cheap.