MIT develops robotic furniture of the future

The Ori Systems is an app-enabled and voice-controlled bed- and living room, closet and office space in one.

Robots play a key role in the future of furniture, according to Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, which has developed an all-in-one furniture system suitable for limited living spaces.

Originally unveiled in 2014 as CityHome, the origami-inspired Ori Systems can transform into a bed, closet, office space and storage area at the press of a button, via an accompanying app and through voices assistants such as Amazon Echo and Alexa.

Made of poplar plywood, Ori Systems is compact and portable, suitable for one- to two-person households and homes with cramped living spaces, which are usual in cities. Though powered through a standard AC plug, the modular unit's components are wheeled and light enough that they can be pulled out manually when necessary.

Invented by MIT professor Kent Larson, student Hasier Larrea and designer Yves Béhar, Ori Systems comes in full and queen sizes (the latter equipped with a couch), light and dark colors, and two orientations (one- or two-side expansion). It is currently available for pre-order at a hefty price of $10,000, though this offer is exclusively for real-estate developers for now and in certain areas. Some apartments in 10 US and Canada cities, for instance, are already putting up for rent studios installed with the robotic unit.

Flatpack and portable furniture such as Ori Systems will maintain demand in the next few years, according to Research and Markets, pushing the whole furniture sector to earn $695 billion through 2019.