Fuzzy Robot Purse: Delightful Companion or Tech Oddity?

Yukai Engineering's Mirumi: A Robotic Companion

Yukai Engineering, widely recognized for its Qooba cat pillow, has established a reputation for creating unique and unconventional robots. Their previous creation, Amagami Ham Ham, which playfully nibbles on fingers to provide a “somewhat pleasing sensation,” remains a memorable example. At CES 2025, Yukai introduced their newest innovation, Mirumi, continuing their tradition of charming robotic designs.

Introducing Mirumi: The Purse-Mounted Robot

Essentially a robotic furball, Mirumi is designed to attach to a purse. It aims to “delight bystanders” by spontaneously turning its head to glance at people nearby. The inspiration for this behavior stems from observing infants, similar to the concept behind Ham Ham’s playful finger-gnawing.

The company explains that Mirumi was conceived to replicate the positive feelings experienced when observing a human baby attempting to interact with others. It expresses curiosity, bashfulness, and other infant-like qualities and emotions through a variety of head movements.

Origins and Design Philosophy

The product’s development began during an internal “Make-a-Thon” hosted by Yukai. The design draws inspiration from Yokai, the mischievous supernatural spirits prevalent in Japanese folklore.

How Mirumi Interacts with its Environment

The robot utilizes a combination of motion, proximity sensing, and responsiveness to taps and bag movements to perceive its surroundings. Yukai has defined several distinct modes of operation:

• Curiosity: Mirumi looks around when the bag it's attached to starts moving.
• Inquisitiveness: It turns its head to observe any detected person or object.
• Bashfulness and Cautiousness: The robot turns away its head to conceal its face when a person or object appears suddenly, or when it is tapped.
• Rejection: Mirumi shakes its head as a way of saying “no” when shaken.
• Comfort: After a period of uninterrupted time, it will turn its head to look around again.

These modes allow Mirumi to create a dynamic and engaging interaction with those around it, offering a novel robotic companion experience.