OKA launches Mori, a mushroom-shaped robot lamp with a camera

In short: A new startup called OKA is selling Mori, a lamp that looks like a mushroom and doubles as a small home robot with a camera and microphones.

What happened

OKA, short for One Kind Artifact, has introduced its first product, Mori. The device is about 12 inches tall and is meant to sit in your home like a piece of decor. When it hears or sees you, it can lift its head to show animated eyes, track your movement, and make soft sounds.

Mori is not a voice assistant like an Amazon Echo. You cannot ask it for the weather or use it to control other smart devices in your home. OKA says the point is to create a calming presence, not a tool that constantly asks for your attention.

Mori can glow in different colors inspired by things like rain and forests. It can guide you through breathing exercises, and it can dance along to music or react to what is on your TV. Some features, including the nature soundscapes, require a subscription.

Why it matters

Mori is another sign that companies are trying to make cameras and microphones feel normal inside the home by packaging them as friendly decor (like hiding a sensor inside a cute lamp). OKA says Mori processes images and audio on the device, then discards the files, and that its internet connection is for updates. Still, buyers may want to pay close attention to privacy controls, subscriptions, and what the device is doing when it is “just a lamp.”

Source: Wired