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.
