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Ori Systems' robotic furniture system transforms apartment living

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Ori Systems created a modular, robotically controlled furniture unit that can switch between bedroom, office and living room configurations
Ori Systems
The Queen unit in its media center mode up against the wall
Ori Systems
A desk slides out and the unit can function as a home office
Ori Systems
Ori Systems created a modular, robotically controlled furniture unit that can switch between bedroom, office and living room configurations
Ori Systems
The built-in control interface
Ori Systems
Above the bed unit is an in-built wardrobe
Ori Systems
Set to living room mode
Ori Systems
The modular, multipurpose Ori System
Ori Systems
Plenty of built in storage makes the system quite functional
Ori Systems
Home office mode
Ori Systems
A second desk retracts from the other side of the unit
Ori Systems
A larger table comes out of the media-side of the unit
Ori Systems
The system can be voice controlled via Amazon's Alexa
Ori Systems
Several modes can be configured on the built-in interface
Ori Systems
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Ori Systems, a furniture startup that grew out of a collaboration between MIT Media Lab students and designer Yves Behar, is finally rolling out its modular, robotic furniture into a handful of apartment buildings across the US. Currently only available for preorder to property developers, the first 1,200 systems will be installed in luxury apartments over the next 12 months.

Conceived by Kent Larson and his student Hasier Larrea, and originally called the CityHome, the idea was to create a robotically transformable modular system that would make it easy to reconfigure a single space into a multi-purpose environment that can function as bedroom, office and living room, with plenty of storage space to boot.

The Queen unit in its media center mode up against the wall
Ori Systems

By 2016 the project had evolved into an independent startup called Ori Systems. The prototype unit, which is similar to the final product, was a single wall unit that can move back and forth across a room on wheels at the touch of a button. Different configurations can either roll out a bed, a desk or simply push the unit against the wall to extend the viewing distance to the media center.

The recently announced final commercial product offers a polished realization of that prototype and comes in two models, full or a queen, with the primary difference between the two units apparently just bed size. Both come flat-packed for assembly on site and are powered by a standard electrical outlet.

Several modes can be configured on the built-in interface
Ori Systems

The unit can be controlled three ways: via an control interface on the unit, through an accompanying iOS or Android app, or via voice control using Amazon Alexa. We suggest those that talk in their sleep to potentially disable Alexa control or risk commanding the unit to reconfigure while you lie in bed. And if power cuts out the system is still reconfigurable, switching to a manual mode that allows you to move the unit yourself.

The system is still a little way away from hitting retail shelves, so no consumer-level prices have been announced, but the early price tag for developers is reportedly US$10,000 per unit. Not exactly cheap, but considering it does cover a great deal of necessary furniture in the one unit it isn't too bad. Once the company steps up production, prices may also come down.

With space in large city apartments always precious, these types of modular furniture systems could appeal to the ever-growing numbers of people being crammed into cities around the world.

Take a look at the system in action in the video below.

Source: Ori Systems

View gallery - 13 images
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2 comments
LordInsidious
Great, the more efficient while still being livable we are with space to live in the better
Anne Ominous
This is a well-thought-out idea, with one major flaw:
As is, there is no way to set up a computer on your desk. It would be in the way of the entertainment system, and I see no provision for ethernet, etc.
If they would modify the idea to make it easier to set up a desktop computer, I think it would be a much better product.