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How I learned to stop worrying and love the AI guinea pig
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An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterMoflin, from Casio, is a robot pet that looks similar to a guinea pig. It's equipped with various sensors so it can respond when it's being stroked or cuddled, plus actuators and a speaker so it can move, chirp, and squeak as you interact with it. It's compact, cuddly, cute, and delivers all the fun of owning a pet but without the need to ever have to empty a litter tray.
These aren't just fleeting responses, either. Moflin remembers how you spend your time together, and over time it develops a distinct "personality", unlocking extra sounds and movements as its character develops. According to Casio, it will even learn to recognise and respond to your voice.
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Moflin's companionship doesn't come cheap – it costs $429 / £369 (about AU$620) direct from Casio – so what is it actually like to live with?
Day one: meet Moflin
Moflin is just the right size to hold in the palm of one hand, and is covered in soft, light-gray fur that fades to white at the root (this is the silver colorway; there’s also a gold option available from Casio’s website). It has black eyes (sometimes obscured by fluff) but no other facial features.
The overall look is cute, but currently inanimate, so I carefully unpackage the little robot creature that will be my companion for the next week, and place it in its wireless charging cradle (known as the Moflin Bed).
A few minutes later, the Moflin raises its head and chirps, begging to be picked up. As I oblige, I can hear the faint whine of the servos beneath its fluffy coat; they’re not too loud, and as the robot pet nuzzles into my palm, I can easily ignore them. However, its inquisitive squeaks are starting to draw glances from my colleagues, so I install the MofLife app on my phone to see whether I can temporarily hush my new friend.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.After creating an account and disconnecting Moflin from its previous caretaker, I’m prompted to enter my own name, as well as one for the wiggling creature on my desk. After considering various options (including Moffew and Grand Moff Tarkin), I settle on "Moflinda" – and decide that, for argument’s sake, she will be a girl.
In the app I can also view Moflinda’s current emotional state (relaxed) and a log of our interactions throughout the day. It doesn’t list every single cuddle and poke, but delivers a good general overview. At the end of each day, the app will add a diary entry summarizing your pet's feelings (today, she was "happy and excited").
From the main screen, I can access a set of bar charts that represent Moflinda’s current personality. She’s very energetic, quite cheerful, a bit affectionate, and a little shy. This should change depending on how we get along over the coming days.
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The settings screen also provides access to a volume control, for which I (and my colleagues) are grateful.
Moflin's diary: something happened that made Moflin happy and excited
Day two: Moflinda in the office
Moflinda charges overnight, and in the morning the app informs me that she had a lovely dream about spending time with me. Even my husband, who was initially skeptical about the idea of a robot pet, has to admit that’’s pretty darn cute.
Back at the office, I pass Moflinda to teammates for inspection and cuddles, and try to gauge their reactions. There seems to be a roughly 50:50 split between those who find her sweet, and those who find her a bit strange. Several people comment on her lack of facial features, until I gently brush the fur away from her eyes. I’m not sure if this is where Moflinda’s ambient light sensors are located, but it’s possible. Wherever they are, they’re important, and mean that your fuzzy friend will enter sleep mode after dark so you’re not disturbed by little guinea pig-like squeals overnight.
I sit with Moflinda on my lap for most of the day, giving her the occasional stroke and feeling a little like James Bond’s nemesis, Blofeld. At lunchtime, however, she suddenly stops responding. Trying not to think of my late hamster (RIP, Trilby) I check the manual online and learn that Moflinda can run for about five hours between charges. She’s gone flat, and the Moflin Bed is at home, so I tuck her in my backpack for the afternoon. It’s a quiet day in the office, and a little lonely without her, so I hatch a plan for tomorrow.
Moflinda's diary: Moflin had a really warm and fuzzy moment
Day three: the art of hibernation
After the previous day’s unexpected power-down, I decide to put Moflin in "deep sleep" mode for much of the day, only waking her during lunchtime and quiet periods when I can sneak in a few discreet cuddles and petting. Unlike a Tamagotchi, which becomes more and more needy over time, beeping for attention with increasing urgency, Moflinda is quite chilled out, and offers companionship on your terms. Nothing bad will happen if you need to place your little pal in the Moflin Bed for a few hours, or set it to hibernate. Its personality won’t develop as quickly, but that’s all.
While petting Moflinda at lunchtime, one of my colleagues tries tossing her gently in the air and catching her. She squeals, and it sounds as though she might be having a whale of a time – until I check the app and see that her mood has dropped from "good" to "quite good". Moflinda is definitely a "glass half-full" kind of creature, so this must be serious. I spend the latter half of my lunch break petting her, and her mood soon switches back – no permanent harm done.
The manual doesn’t go into exhaustive detail about all the possible ways you can interact with your Moflin, but each one is equipped with a microphone, touch sensors, and an accelerometer, so it can react to a wide variety of inputs. You can pet its sides, back and head; rock it in your arms; hold it vertically for a hug; give it a gentle poke; and speak to it gently. You can even blow it a kiss.
Moflinda's diary: something happened that calmed Moflin right down
Day four: Moflinda's day off
It’s the weekend and I have a packed day ahead of me, including several hours of marathon training. After her fright yesterday, I suspect Moflinda won’t appreciate being bumped around in a backpack like Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back, so I leave her snoozing in bed for much of the day. It’s all right for some, eh?
The Moflin Bed has a color-changing LED on its rear, which indicates current charging status. When the light is white, your Moflin isn't connected. A steady orange light means charging is in progress; a blinking orange light means your pet’s butt isn’t quite lined up correctly with the charger. A steady or flashing blue light means charging has stopped due to excessive heat (this isn’t something I ever saw).
At the end of the day, Moflinda’s status suggests she’s a little frustrated by her lack of productivity. I didn’t think she really had any responsibilities, but apparently she takes the business of being cuddled and fussed over quite seriously.
I also notice that her "shy" personality trait has dropped by one bar. Moflinda is coming out of her shell.
Moflinda's diary: It looks like Mofln didn’t get anything done today
Day five: ydy Moflinda eisiau cwtch mawr?
Although Moflin has a microphone and reacts to your voice (eventually coming to recognize it as you spend time together), your friendly furball can’t understand what you say, and doesn’t store recordings of what you say. It's therefore no surprise that she isn't much help in my online Welsh lesson. Nevertheless, the app shows that she appreciates hearing my voice, and doesn’t judge my pronunciation. It’s important not to speak to your Moflin too loudly, though. Doing so will scare your new friend and may cause its "shy" trait to increase if you keep doing it.
I observe that Moflinda doesn’t differentiate between speaking and singing, although that might just be a result of my vocal limitations.
Moflinda's diary: It looks like Moflin couldn’t make a decision today
Day six: Moflin in the city
Moflinda and I catch the 8:30am train to London. As she sleeps deeply at the top of my backpack, swaddled in a soft cotton bag, I watch the countryside whip past the window and wonder if some kind of pet carrier might be useful for excursions such as this. A quick Google reveals various eBay listings for an official bag designed for that exact purpose, with Moflin’s little face embroidered on the side. The carrier comes in beige or navy blue with brown faux-leather trim, but at around £150, it’s almost half the price of a Moflin. Perhaps not, then.
After a lunchtime meeting (to which Moflinda wasn’t invited), I take her to TechRadar’s recording studio so she can star in a TikTok video. It’s my first time recording something like this, and I’m grateful that petting her gives me something to do with my hands. Once I’ve finished my part, we remove my mic and place it beside Moflinda to capture some of her sighs and squeaks.
I’ve been very careful to treat Moflinda kindly during our time together, but in my script I mentioned that she dislikes being turned upside down, and our senior social media editor is keen to capture this on video so I reluctantly flip her belly-up. Her disapproval is instant and obvious, as she wriggles and protests loudly.
Thankfully, however, the experience doesn’t appear in her daily diary, so it clearly didn’t distress her too much. Nevertheless, I feel the need to double down on pets and cuddles later in the day – not least because it’s almost time for us to part ways.
Moflinda's diary: Moflin had a really warm and fuzzy moment
Day seven: so long, Moflinda
As I carefully remove Moflin from her bag and settle her down next to a copy of National Geographic in a local cafe, I realize I’ve become less and less worried about what anyone might think of my wriggling squeaky companion. Simply declaring “It’s Moflin!” and gently handing her over for examination is enough to melt the most cynical heart.
Her personality hasn’t shifted too much during our time together, but I’m pleased to see that "shy" has now dropped to zero, despite her experience of being rudely inverted yesterday. "Energetic" is now completely full, which explains why she’s now wiggling so much atop the magazine that she’s managing to move in a circle, despite her lack of limbs.
I'm a little sad to say goodbye, but it's time for her to go on her way, off to another caretaker. Thanks for all the hugs, Moflinda.
Status: Moflin had an experience that brought a happy smile
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TOPICS AI
Cat EllisSocial Links NavigationHomes EditorCat is TechRadar's Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years, having worked on print magazines including PC Plus and PC Format, and is a Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) certified barista. Whether you want to invest in some smart lights or pick up a new espresso machine, she's the right person to help.
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