With the speed at which AI is progressing, it’s only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions akin to what we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn’t meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a “Nature Companion.” It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.
It behaves a lot like a pet
Mori’s animated eyes can blink and look around, while its head tilts when something catches its attention. It can wobble along to music like it is dancing, act shy around unfamiliar people, and even retreat into its shell, where it turns back into a fairly normal-looking lamp.
A camera hidden inside Mori’s face and built-in microphones feed visual and audio information to what OKA calls Attentive Intelligence. Multiple local AI models analyze what is happening around it and decide how Mori should respond. It can recognize familiar people, remember previous interactions, and behave differently around guests.
OKA also uses a system called V.I.B.E., short for Vitality, Interaction, Bonding, and Emotion, which takes factors such as the time of day and Mori’s history with people and pets into account. It can recognize situations where interrupting probably isn’t welcome, such as a phone call or an argument, while prolonged phone use could prompt it to try to pull your attention away.
The camera isn’t constantly sending footage away
Since Mori is essentially sitting around your home watching and listening, privacy is an obvious concern. OKA says raw images and audio are processed locally and discarded, while facial-feature data used to recognize familiar people stays on the device. The camera switches off when Mori retracts into lamp mode, and double-tapping its head disables the microphones.
Mori can also play nature soundscapes, glow in colors inspired by rain, forests, fire, and wind, and guide you through breathing exercises. The battery-powered companion stands nearly 12 inches tall, while the limited Founder’s Edition costs $649 and includes two years of subscription service and a two-year warranty. A standard version will cost $799. OKA has not yet revealed how much Mori’s subscription will cost once the two included years expire.
