A synthesis of traditional woodcraft and silent robotics, Phantom reimagines the chessboard as a self‑playing heirloom. Phantom is the world’s first robotic chessboard crafted from solid wood. A masterful blend of engineering, design, and woodwork has re‑engineered one of the oldest strategic objects: the chessboard. Phantom Chess features a hidden, silent drive system that allows pieces to move autonomously, while its exterior remains pure walnut and maple, eliminating the visible motors and toy‑like aesthetic that have defined automated chess until now. Drawing on precision sensor grids and ultra‑quiet linear actuators, Phantom turns the board itself into an intelligent interface, creating an entirely new category of connected chess experience.

where tradition meets innovation | all images courtesy of Phantom Chessboard

Phantom chessboard introduces patented layered architecture

Unlike conventional electronic boards, Phantom Chessboard uses a patented layered architecture that conceals all technology beneath a veneer of natural wood. The playing surface is a matrix of magnetic sensors that detect piece movement, while an array of sub‑18dB linear actuators provides autonomous motion with no audible mechanical noise. The system requires only a single Bluetooth‑pairing step, after which the board operates as a silent physical terminal for digital chess.

In addition to its mechanical innovation, Phantom integrates seamlessly with the digital chess ecosystem. Through its companion app, the board syncs in real time with Lichess and Chess.com, allowing online matches to be played out physically move‑for‑move. It also hosts adaptive AI opponents, from the tactical precision of Stockfish to the human‑like intuition of the Maia neural network, and features a Sculpture Mode that autonomously replays historic games or personal analyses. Four pending patents cover the sensor‑actuator array, the silent drive mechanism, the magnetic piece‑recognition system, and the software architecture that ties physical play to digital platforms.

a natural wood chessboard where pieces glide autonomously, powered by a completely hidden mechanism

By dissolving the boundary between the tangible tradition of wood and the limitless potential of connected play, Phantom does not replace the chessboard; it completes it. The first production units are shipping now, marking the first time a robotic chess system has been conceived not as a gadget, but as a crafted object meant to last generations.

crafted from solid American Dark Walnut and Maple, each board is a unique piece of natural craftsmanship

Phantom is the result of a philosophy that respects materiality while embracing silent technology

in sculpture mode, the board autonomously replays historic games or personal analyses as a kinetic sculpture

the board syncs in real time with Lichess and Chess.com, allowing online matches to be played out physically

the CNC‑milled pieces come in tournament dimensions, designed for balance and tactile satisfaction

a masterful blend of engineering, design, and woodwork has re‑engineered the chessboard

hidden architecture introduces a magnetic sensor grid and silent linear actuators beneath the wooden surface

project info:

name: Phantom Chess | @phantom_chess
designer: Eduardo Cano, Osmar Martinez

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Held from November 3 to 8, 2025, the Department of Industrial Design at Seoul-based Hongik University presented its annual Graduation Exhibition under the theme ‘The Use of Uselessness: What If.’ Moving beyond conventional purpose-centered design, the exhibition serves as an open dialogue between function, emotion, and culture, challenging students to find creative value in concepts that exist beyond conventional utility.

The theme embodies a future-oriented design attitude that celebrates curiosity and imagination, encouraging graduates to break free from binary thinking. From product and mobility to spatial and interaction design, many projects leverage technologies like emotional AI and advanced robotics, reflecting Hongik’s commitment to nurturing designers who understand the evolving relationship between humans, technology, and society with both analytical thinking and creative sensitivity. Below, we dive into some of the standout concepts that showcase the creativity and technical expertise of the next generation of industrial designers.

Hongik University’s annual Industrial Design Degree Show 2025 | all images courtesy of Hongik University

EDEN BY DOHYUN PARK AND SEOKHYUN AHN

EDEN is an AI home ecosystem that moves beyond the functional convenience of standard smart homes to offer true comfort. Inspired by nature, EDEN creates an environment precisely tailored to the user’s emotions and lifestyle through personalized light and scent. By naturally harmonizing technology, EDEN creates a personal ‘Eden’ within the home, offering a next-generation experience where technology supports emotional well-being rather than just functional needs.

EDEN by Dohyun Park and Seokhyun Ahn

HALE BY HYUNBIN SEO

HALE explores how future technologies could shape the next generation of extreme sports by proposing personal flight as a new athletic domain. Beginning with the idea that people continually seek stronger, more immersive forms of thrill, HALE enables users to move freely in three-dimensional space through body-driven control. The project envisions a future where flight becomes an accessible, skill-based activity, dramatically expanding how intensity, challenge, and physical performance are experienced.

HALE by Hyunbin Seo

AETHER BY HWIGU YU

Project ‘AETHER’ is a next-generation Urban Aerial Care System designed to redefine city infrastructure. The system is anchored by a central Mothership, a floating hub buoyed by a lighter-than-air gas envelope, which drifts effortlessly above the urban canopy. Rather than just monitoring, AETHER actively interacts with the city environment through three specialized drone units dedicated to real-time data analysis, rapid emergency response, and logistics support, ensuring the safety and prosperity of its citizens.

AETHER by Hwigu Yu

SHERPA BY JAEHWAN PARK ANDJEON JAEHO

Designed for the physically and mentally demanding environment of modern cultural complex malls, Sherpa is a smart, cart-type companion. It reduces physical burden and provides timely, relevant information, adapting to varied spaces through a contextual automation system. This system shifts between autonomous and manual modes with a simple handle-tilt action, aligning the device’s functions smoothly with the user’s pace and optimizing the overall shopping experience.

Sherpa by Jaehwan Park andJeon Jaeho

ROOT BY EL JYIDI CHAIMAE, WONJEONG PARK AND SI ON LEE 

ROOT imagines a future where technology becomes the only bridge back to nearly disappeared natural environments. Redefining camping, the project features three speculative products: an AI companion robot that guides and supports emotional comfort; an AI-responsive tent that adapts to climate and mood; and an XR nature system that overlays reconstructed ecosystems onto artificial terrains. ROOT invites viewers to reconsider the bond between humanity and nature when reality and simulation converge.

ROOT by El Jyidi Chaimae, Wonjeong Park And Si On Lee

OASIS BY SIHEON SONG

OASIS is an urban green robotics platform that reimagines parks and forests in the city, overcoming their limitations to provide people with refreshing, nature-friendly moments of rest. As robots become everyday companions, spaces must adapt to coexist, transforming into unique robotics platforms that bring not only convenience but also new, restorative experiences to urban life.

OASIS by Siheon Song

HUSH BY SANGEUN PARK

HUSH is a quiet, proactive home AI designed for true rest, exploring how spatial AI can approach people gently. The system offers subtle, emotional suggestions for well-being. For example, ‘The Window’ projects its proactive AI interface like sunlight, ‘The Kettle’ uses steam mist as an AI screen to notify you as if breathing, and ‘The Light’ senses context, breathing together with the user. The space becomes a living, breathing ecosystem that nurtures rest.

HUSH by Sangeun Park

BUBBLIN BY HYUNMIN KIM

Bubblin’ is an AR-glasses service that allows people to explore Seoul instantly, guided by AI and intuitive bubble UI interactions. Designed for efficient leisure, the service eliminates the interruptions of navigation and planning. The AI surfaces highly recommended spots visited by friends or celebrities and naturally guides the user through the city, allowing them to simply move through places they feel drawn to at the moment.

Bubblin by Hyunmin Kim

SOUZ BY JAGYEONG KIM AND HANBOM JANG

SOUZ is a premium retreat brand that merges Korea’s traditional healing principles with a modern lifestyle. Rooted in the medical philosophy of So-uju (the ‘human microcosm’), SOUZ reinterprets Korea’s healing culture. The personalized retreat program focuses on three dimensions — Body, Mind, and Soul — using traditional Korean constitutional diagnosis, bathing culture, and sound therapy inspired by Pungnyu music to help every visitor rediscover their complete self.

SOUZ by Jagyeong Kim and Hanbom Jang

CASA BOTÁNICA BY  JIWOON KIM

Casa Botánica is a lifestyle flagship that translates the natural inspiration and craftsmanship of LOEWE Perfumes and the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize into a continuous sensory experience. Its core concept, Raw Botanica, explores the tension between elegance and rawness. A spatial sequence inspired by the growth cycle of plants guides visitors along a linear path through scent exploration, craft displays, and F&B, inviting them to dwell in the resonance of fragrance, craft, and nature.

CASA BOTÁNICA by Jiwoon Kim

PNEUMA PROTOCOL BY JIWOO LEE AND SEONGHOON AHN

Pneuma Protocol presents a blueprint for extending human perception through the convergence of neural interfaces and robotic bodies. Facilitated by conductive-ink BCI tattoos and a crown-type device, the project envisions a future where humans and robots operate as a single Sensory–Cognitive System. This symbiotic relationship, establishing a new paradigm of co-existence, allows future human personas to act independently and explore a larger world, freed from limited physical environments.

Pneuma Protocol by Jiwoo Lee and Seonghoon Ahn

HERIT BY NAKYEONG LEE AND SEA SONG

HERIT is a discreet stay that preserves the emotional lineage between mothers and daughters. Rooted in GUCCI’s heritage, it transforms shared memories into a quiet language of style. Hidden in Florence, HERIT reveals itself through a ‘secret code’ guiding the pair into a private, timeless refuge. During their stay, the mother’s cherished pieces are reinterpreted and reborn for the daughter, reinforcing the emotional bond and carrying their meaning forward.

HERIT by Nakyeong Lee and Sea Song

PORSCHE MUTANT BY TAERIN KIM

‘MUTANT’ is a car concept designed for enthusiasts in an era when full autonomous driving is the norm, preserving the pure joy of driving. It transforms like a living organism to adapt to any terrain. Normally blending in with other autonomous vehicles, MUTANT allows the user to take control and venture off-road the moment they feel the urge, providing a thrilling, self-driven experience on demand.

Porsche MUTANT by Taerin Kim

NEURAUX BY EUICHAN JEONG

NEURAUX is a fashion item that allows multi-persona users to easily transform and express their diverse selves and personalities according to circumstances. By modifying its appearance structure to suit specific conditions and situations, this single item can create a variety of ‘auras.’ NEURAUX empowers self-expression and self-realization by making fashion dynamic and responsive to the user’s inner state.

NEURAUX by Euichan Jeong

VISION NEURO BY HAESOL MA

Mercedes Vision Neuro utilizes BCI technology to dismantle and reconstruct the traditional mobility framework known as the H-point. Inspired by submarines, the design applies a cylindrical language and a low silhouette. The interior focuses on a seat system that synchronizes with the user’s posture, enabling long-distance touring while keeping the user completely secluded from the outside environment, much like a personal submarine.

Vision Neuro by Haesol Ma

HUDDLE BY HYEOKGYU JANG 

HUDDLE is an inclusive AR platform that transforms live sports into a fully accessible, multi-sensory experience for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing fans. Through real-time visuals, haptics, and gesture-based communication, it brings whistles, chants, and crowd energy to life without relying on sound. More than accessibility, HUDDLE turns every moment into shared emotion, helping every fan feel in sync, connected, and part of the arena.

Huddle by Hyeokgyu Jang

X.RT MACHINA BY JIHOON SEO

X.rt Machina is an off-roader concept that combines robotics and physical AI. The user extends their abilities and senses through the vehicle, using its robotic systems to reach places that are normally inaccessible. The concept focuses on how the machine becomes a true partner in exploration, building personal stories and experiences during the journey.

X.rt Machina by Jihoon Seo

PLOT 12: FROM MUSE TO MAKER BY HYERYEON RHA AND GYEONGSEO CHO

Plot 12 reimagines the influence of the Met Gala by relocating it to Red Hook, a once-industrial neighborhood, and shifting the focus back to creation. Instead of celebrating spectacle, the project highlights designers as makers. Through exhibition and a reinterpreted backstage-inspired environment, Plot 12 proposes a new cultural ecosystem where fashion’s power is used not for display but for community-driven revitalization, sparking long-term change for a city’s creative future.

Plot 12: From Muse To Maker by Hyeryeon Rha and Gyeongseo Cho

project info: 

event: Hongik Industrial Design Degree Show 2025 | @hongik.id.degreeshow 

school: Hongik University | @hongik_university

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Scientists at EPFL have recycled food waste like shells from langoustines into functional, robotic claw machines that can hold onto objects. In a study by CREATE Lab, the team has tested whether crustacean shells could work better for some robotic tasks instead of the usual metal, plastic, or other synthetic materials. The scientists say that crustacean shells can function well because they are hard and rigid in some places, which gives them strength, and they are also flexible in other places, which allows them to bend. This mix of hard and soft parts lets the animals move fast and with high power in water, the same properties that can be useful for functional machines.

The researchers recycle food waste into machines by taking the langoustine abdomens, the tail sections, and modifying them with synthetic parts. They put an elastic material inside the shell to control how each segment moves. Then they attached the shell to a motorized base, which is a machine that can move and change how stiff or loose the shell becomes. Finally, they covered everything with a silicon coating to make it last longer. This process combines three things: the natural shell for structure, elastic materials for movement control, and the motorized base for power and precision. After the robotic system is used, the shell and the synthetic parts can be taken apart, and most of the synthetic components can be used again for other projects.

all images courtesy of EPFL and CREATE Lab

Robotic grippers made of crustacean shells can pick up objects 

The team at EPFL has created three different robotic systems. The first was a manipulator, a robotic arm that could pick up and move objects weighing up to 500 grams. The second was a pair of grippers that could hold and pick up things of different sizes and shapes, from a highlighter pen to a tomato. The third was a swimming robot with two shell fins that could move through water at speeds up to 11 centimeters per second. As seen in the video, the tests show that the recycled food waste can potentially grip objects as functional claw machines. However, the main problem with this method, as the scientists describe in their study, is that natural shells are not exactly the same. 

Each langoustine tail has a slightly different shape, and even when the team made two-fingered grippers, one side would bend a little differently than the other side because the shells were not identical. Luckily, the researchers have found a way to solve this, and that is by producing better synthetic parts that can be adjusted and tuned for each shell’s unique shape and properties. So far, the team has tested their method and believes that when they recycle food waste into machines, this could lead to new applications beyond grippers and swimmers, including using them for biological materials in medical implants or systems that monitor biological processes.

scientists at EPFL have recycled food waste like shells from langoustines into robotic claw machines

crustacean shells can function well because they are rigid in some places and flexible in other parts

view of the machine made of recycled food waste

the robotic grippers can hold onto objects that weigh up to 500 grams

an elastic material inside the shell controls how each segment moves

project info:

name: Dead Matter, Living Machines: Repurposing Crustaceans’ Abdomen Exoskeleton for Bio-Hybrid Robots

team: Sareum Kim, Kieran Gilday, Josie Hughes

institutions: CREATE Lab, EPFL | @epflcampus

study: here

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At Art Basel Miami 2025, digital artist Beeple brings over autonomous robot dogs wearing the lifelike heads of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and himself. On view in the digital art space Zero 10 between December 3rd and 7th, 2025, the AI-related installation named Regular Animals is a commentary on the effects of the tech giants’ platforms and their algorithms in influencing the way people see the world today. The space features the devices in a boxing ring-shaped area, where the mechanical pets stomp around and their heads bob up and down. But they’re not just moving back and forth. 

The robot dogs at Art Basel Miami 2025 are also taking photos of what they see using their camera eyes. At some point, these mechanical pets fold their rear legs, and the screen on their back bodies displays the large text ‘POOP Mode.’ In a short while, a printed instant film of what they captured ejects from their bodies as an NFT artwork, with applied filters and effects that correspond to the artists’ and billionaires’ styles. It’s pop art for Andy Warhol, cubism for Pablo Picasso, black and white for Elon Musk, and a Metaverse-looking edit for Mark Zuckerberg.

all images courtesy of Art Basel, unless stated otherwise

Artistic commentary on algorithms defining what users see

For his installation at Art Basel Miami 2025, artist Beeple wants to highlight the evolving connection of technology and AI with humans (the real ones). Tech giants like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are there because the artist aims to underline how their social media platforms, X and Meta, respectively, are powered by algorithms that, these days, dictate what the user sees on their feed. By capturing and printing their surroundings, these robot dogs at Art Basel pull people to look down and look at the images and see just them. The work also attempts to show how robotic systems now perform tasks once linked only to humans. 

For example, since they have built-in cameras that take photos of visitors, some photos will include a digital code that, when a visitor scans it, they can claim a free NFT. This direct connection between a physical action and a digital product shows how modern media can transfer value using technology. Zero 10, the space where the robot dogs are placed within the Art Basel Miami Beach 2025, is organized by curator Eli Scheinman, who says that the space is focused on new tools like robotics, AI, and generative media. The design of the space then puts the visitors within the path of the robots. There are no physical screens or controlled barriers separating the machines from the audience, creating a shared space where technology and the public meet in real time.

at Art Basel Miami 2025, Beeple brings ove robot dogs wearing the lifelike heads of tech-giant figures

view of Mark Zuckerberg’s lifelike head

Pablo Picasso’s mechanical pet is also present

detailed view of Elon Musk’s head at the Art Basel Miami installation space

the artwork is a commentary on the dominating presence of algorithms in people’s lives

the devices are on view at Miami Beach Convention Center | image courtesy of Beeple

project info:

name: Regular Animals

artist: Beeple | @beeple_crap

space: Zero 10

event: Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 | @artbasel

dates: December 3rd to 7th, 2025

location: Miami Beach Convention Center

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Mirumi, a mini attachable robot, clings tightly onto bag handles and moves its head when users pet it. No longer a prototype, the portable device looks around and reacts to what happens near it or on it using the ‘special’ algorithm that the design team has developed. To recap, Yukai Engineering, the mastermind behind the project, debuted Mirumi at CES 2025, and back then it was a prototype. Soon, the mini attachable robot is expected to come to life, at least mechanically, as a fashion accessory users can clip on their bag handles and even belt loops.

Mirumi has a head, a body, and two arms that wrap around straps or poles. The shape lets the robot hold onto thin and thick objects without falling, and the compact size of the device can fit in the user’s two hands. Its furry skin resembling teddy bears is soft to touch, and the team says they use materials sourced from Japan and in custom colors to make the device’s smooth finish and its friendly outline. The design team works on how the mini attachable robot Mirumi looks at people, with its neck motor lifting the head to make it look up. The timing of the movement is programmed so the robot sometimes turns away again before it looks back.

all images courtesy of Mirumi Tokyo and Yukai Engineering

portable device that shakes its head slowly when low in battery

To make it move, the Yukai Engineering team installs motors inside the body of the mini attachable robot Mirumi. These motors tilt and turn the head in different directions, and they also help the device respond to three main inputs: sound, touch, and internal triggers. When someone pats the head, a sensor in the head detects the action. When a sound or voice is near, two sound sensors inside the body pick it up. Signals travel through a chip that controls the motor actions, and this system allows many reactions without repeated patterns. Mirumi sometimes moves on its own even when nothing is happening, creating the feeling that the robot is active. 

The random behavior comes from a custom algorithm, which selects reactions in a way that appears natural. The team uses experience from earlier social robots to build these responses as well as from their prototype earlier in 2025. For the real-life model, the device comes with a built-in battery, rechargeable using a Type-C cable behind the mini attachable robot. Mirumi also gestures when its battery is low by shaking its head slowly. It’s a way for the team to have a completely screen-free device for telling users it’s time to charge their gadget. Mirumi doesn’t talk, at least for the recent model. It only turns its head, nods, and gently tilts to show excitement, hesitation, or interest. Fans of the mini attachable robot can support the campaign, and the team expects to ship Mirumi in May 2026.

Mirumi, a mini attachable robot, clings tightly onto bag handles

tthe device also moves its head when users pet it

the portable device looks around and reacts to what happens near it

users can also attach it around their belt loops

its neck motor lifts the head of the device to make it look up

there are three colors available for the gadget

its furry skin resembling the one on teddy bears is soft to touch

the making of the furry attachable device

video showcasing how the gadget works

the team plans to ship the device starting May 2026

project info:

name: Mirumi | @mirumi_tokyo

design: Yukai Engineering | @yukaiengineering

campaign: here

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Meet Trovador, a tree-planting robot that saves and restores burned land from deforestation by placing seedlings in the ground. A project by students Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça, the autonomous device plants trees on steep terrain that has been burned off. The young engineers propose two prototypes. The first one, which Marta Bernardino introduced in 2023, is a spider-like robot with six legs, each serving a different purpose. The middle legs hold and plant trees, while the back legs have rotating feet that press soil around planted trees. 

The front legs of the tree-planting robot that combats deforestation have sharp tips that grip the ground during movement, and then the middle legs have grippers, shaped like a quadrangular pyramid, on the tibia section. A stepper motor rotates to open and close the gripper, while the middle legs both walk and plant trees. The body has four layers, with the top one holding trees. This prototype can hold up to six trees placed in a box made of egg cartons, and the gripper can reach into this container to pick up trees and plant them in the soil, one by one.

all images courtesy of Marta Bernardino, Sebastião Mendonça, and Trovador

Full-scale version is shaped like a dog with drills

After the first prototype of the tree-planting robot that can save dry and burned lands from deforestation, Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça are expected to build a dog-shaped version of the project, the final full-scale variant. The upgraded model has legs that allow it to climb steep terrain that other reforestation methods, and even residents, may not access easily. The dog-shaped Trovador is believed to be able to plant around 200 trees per hour on its own. It can adapt to soil conditions in real time using embedded sensors and adjusts how it plants each tree based on these measurements. The tree-planting robot that combats deforestation has drills that make holes in the ground to place the seedlings into these holes, and the motors power the legs and the planting mechanism. It follows a smart pattern that allows it to plant different local species in a randomized sequence.

So far, the young engineers are running a campaign to help themselves build the tree-planting robot and combat deforestation. They plan to use Trovador in Portugal first, their homeland, and then later on, they want to deploy iit in other areas that need reforestation. In their findings, the duo says that since 2000, Portugal has lost more than 50 percent of its forest cover, and in 2024, global forest loss increased by 80 percent, with wildfires causing most of this loss. Because of this, the biodiversity has decreased, erosion has become worse, fire risk has posed a worse concern, and the forests, which could absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, were no longer there. Through the tree-planting robot Trovador, the duo hopes they can save their burned land from deforestation the automated way.

view of the first prototype, which is a spider-like device

the device has a gripper that picks up the seedlings from the egg tray and plants them in the ground

for the full-scale version, the team plans to create a dog-shaped robot

project info:

name: Trovador

engineers: Marta Bernardino, Sebastião Mendonça

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Meet Memo, the personal home robot by Sunday that resembles more of a playful and joyful cartoon character than a humanoid assistant. Made to complete household tasks, the roving device has a round head with two straight eyes, a head with a hat-like top piece, and a torso shaped like a cylinder. The arm connects to the torso through a circular joint, while the body and arm sections use smooth shapes and surfaces. What makes the personal home robot Memo more kid- and house-friendly is its exterior, which is dressed up in silicone. The startup’s designers believe that it’s easier to clean this material, especially with household products from grocery stores. 

The device, which forms part of the growing community of household humanoid assistants including NEO Gamma and Figure 03, only comes with half of a body because it suspends over a stand, and at the bottom, it comes with a wheelbase, as if it were an autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner. In a way, it is, only with typical household chores, including laundry, cleaning up the mess, and loading up the dishwasher. Memo has arms that can move from ground level up to seven feet. For most tasks, it stays at four feet. Inside the personal home robot are motors, sensors, cameras, a computer unit, and safety systems that allow it to complete the chores at a glacial pace.

all images courtesy of Sunday

Smart Household device that learns behavior from a glove

Sunday, the startup that made Memo, says that the personal home robot can move through spaces on its wheels and pick up objects with its clamping hands. A feature that makes the device different from the other household robots is that Memo learns the user’s movement using a glove worn by their human owners. It is called the Skill Capture Glove. When the owner wears the glove, the robot records and remembers every movement from the owner’s action because the glove and the robot hand share the same sensor layout. 

In the end, Memo can copy human actions by taking the glove data and translating it into robot data. Because of this, there’s no teleoperation with the personal home robot Memo since the device learns from recorded human movements. The project has two parts. First, the team builds a robot that can perform skills. Then, the team builds a system that lets the robot learn new skills. 

meet Memo, the personal home robot that resembles more of a playful and joyful cartoon character

Upgraded personal home robot memo can do more tasks

Memo had only one arm in 2024 and learned a single task: arranging shoes. In 2025, it learned many tasks at once and can now collect plates, cups, utensils, napkins, and food scraps as well as load a dishwasher and run it, handle piles of socks, and use an espresso machine to pull a coffee shot. The model can also navigate homes using 3D maps during its training so it can learn how homes are arranged. 

The team’s tests in AirBnb locations have shown that the personal home robot Memo can find tables and dishwashers in new environments and complete tasks without being controlled. The Sunday team hopes to place a helpful robot in every home, starting with Memo. For them, their device is designed to operate safely around people and to adapt to many chores. While the system is still being improved, the team’s long-term plan is to expand the personal home robot’s skill library and make Memo usable in many homes without custom setup.

the smart household device is made to complete household tasks

its face has a cartoon-like feature

the device’s exterior is covered with silicone for a softer shell

there’s a camera under the hat of the robot

there’s a camera under its hat to see the surroundings

this upgraded model can now clean up the mess inside the house

the Beta Program for the device starts in 2026

project info:

name: Memo

startup: Sunday | @sundayrobotics

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Direct Drive Technology introduces D1, an all-terrain modular dog-shaped and intelligent robot that can split its body into two and rejoin them again. Able to move across many types of ground, the two- or four-legged mobile device can walk, roll, climb, and travel at different speeds by changing how each of its legs works. It can even transport objects when users attach them around the metal body, or if they want, the users themselves can ride on the all-terrain modular robot and cruise around uneven ground as if the device were a dirt bike.

The dog-shaped machine has four legs with wheels. The legs can lift, bend, and rotate, and the wheels can roll in many directions, and this gives the robot two movement modes: it can walk or roll. For the former, the wheels stay still, and the machine walks using its legs, a mode useful for rough surfaces. For the latter, the legs act like suspension arms, and the wheels spin, which is useful for fast movement on smooth or semi-smooth ground. The body of the all-terrain modular robot is compact and rectangular and holds the main electronics, sensors, battery, and control system. It also includes mounting points so users can add tools or accessories around it.

all images courtesy of Direct Drive Technology

Smart machine that can tackle and roll around any grounds

While the company has not yet released the full specifications of D1, the all-terrain modular robot looks like it uses metal parts for most of its body parts as well as rubber-like materials for the wheels to increase their grip and allow them to roll around different surfaces. The joints of the robot legs have direct-drive motors that allow for precise control and fast response, as well as let the machine change position quickly during walking and balancing.

Each leg moves on its own, which helps the device remain balanced even on uneven ground. The body panels and leg units appear replaceable, so users can repair and maintain the all-terrain modular robot without replacing the entire machine. The front of the robot has what looks like cameras or depth sensors, so it can detect the environment, avoid obstacles, and plan steps or paths. As seen in the video above, the machine itself can reattach to its other half, making it a full-bodied machine after splitting. So far, the all-terrain modular robot is available, and users can acquire D1 either as a single- or double-piece machine with flexible legs.

the machine can split its own body and rejoin them again

view of the two parts of the machine

the four legs work individually to accommodate different surfaces

the robot can move around and do ‘tricks’ on its own, too

the smart machine can be used to transport objects

users can acquire the machine either by single or double parts

project info:

name: D1

company: Direct Drive Technology | @directdrivetech_ddt

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During Japan Mobility Show 2025, Toyota reveals ‘walk me,’ a concept autonomous wheelchair with foldable tentacle legs that can climb stairs and sit on the floor. On view at the event between October 30th and November 9th, the assistive device helps people with reduced mobility to move around places where traditional wheelchairs aren’t able to, including walking up and down between floors and lifting the users to their cars. Toyota’s autonomous wheelchair replaces the traditional wheels with four robotic and foldable legs that move like animal limbs. 

Each leg can lift, bend, and adjust its position on its own, and this lets the device move across steps or rough ground. The seat has a supportive frame that holds the user in a safe and upright position, and the backrest curves to follow the shape of the user’s back. The user asks the device to move around using the small side handles or a control interface that can include buttons. The foldable legs of Toyota’s concept autonomous wheelchair also come with soft-looking outer covers to protect the inside parts as well as the sensors.

all images courtesy of Toyota

An Assistive device at japan mobility show 2025

The project was presented by Toyota during Japan Mobility Show 2025 as part of the company’s research into personal mobility solutions. It is intended for daily use by people who have limited mobility but still need to move between levels or uneven terrains. The team has studied how users transfer weight, how steps are climbed, and how the device can stay secure on different surfaces for their autonomous wheelchair with foldable legs.

Besides movement, the chair includes folding functions. The legs can retract into a compact shape for storage or transport, allowing the device to fit into cars or small indoor spaces. When activated again, the legs extend automatically, and the system stabilizes itself before movement begins. The concept is still a prototype revealed at the event, and Toyota has yet to announce its commercial production. It shows, though, how future assistive devices could help people move between surfaces, especially with an autonomous wheelchair and its foldable legs.

the concept assistive device ‘walk me’ can climb stairs on its own

the concept device can also lift the users to their cars

the legs can fold and move individually

Toyota’s autonomous wheelchair with foldable legs can even sit or kneel on the floor

the seat has a supportive frame that holds the user in a safe and upright position

the company reveals the prototype at Japan Mobility Show 2025

project info:

name: walk me

company: Toyota | @toyota_jp

event: Japan Mobility Show 2025 | @jama_jpn

dates: October 30th to November 9th, 2025

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TreeSoil is a robotic 3D printed earthen shelter designed to create microclimates that support the early growth of young trees. Developed at the Technion’s Material Topology Research Lab (MTRL) in collaboration with the Tree Lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science, the project integrates architecture, material science, and plant biology to explore how design can actively assist ecological regeneration.

The project draws on ancient agricultural techniques used in arid landscapes, where stone or earthen enclosures shield crops and saplings from wind, sun, and evaporation. TreeSoil reinterprets these methods through computational design and robotic fabrication, transforming soil into a modular, interlocking system that mediates between technology and ecology. Each structure is composed of modular bricks produced through large-scale robotic extrusion. The design uses local climatic data, including solar radiation, wind patterns, and humidity, to optimize conditions for the sapling at its center. Its porous geometry enables airflow and shading, while the thermal mass of the earthen material helps regulate temperature and moisture, supporting root establishment and early growth.

all images by Edo Asoulin

biodegradable TreeSoil system returns to earth as trees mature

The material system combines locally sourced soil with sand, clay, and bio-based binders derived from cellulose and organic fibers. In some prototypes, biochar and other waste-derived nutrients are added to enhance soil stability and structural integrity. The mixture is tested for rheological, mechanical, and erosion properties to ensure printability and environmental compatibility. Components are fabricated using a KUKA KR50 robotic arm and a WASP LDM XXXL extrusion system, built layer by layer, naturally dried, and assembled on-site without adhesives. The resulting structure is fully biodegradable and gradually disintegrates as the tree matures, returning nutrients to the soil.

TreeSoil positions architecture as a temporary, adaptive, and regenerative infrastructure rather than a permanent form. Its design emphasizes the relationship between vegetation and the land, creating a controlled microclimate while integrating technology, soil, and plant life into a responsive ecological system. The design team at Material Topology Research Lab names the project TreeSoil to reflect the fundamental relationship between vegetation and the land it emerges from. 

the completed TreeSoil shelter stands within the reforestation site, merging earthen architecture, robotics, and ecology into a living system of care

top view of the TreeSoil structure illustrating its internal cavity, where airflow, shading, and soil moisture create favorable growth conditions

close-up view of the final layers being assembled, showing the precise interlocking geometry and the protected carob sapling within

researchers assemble the modular earthen units of TreeSoil around a young sapling, forming the base structure for the microclimate shelter

carrying water and saplings to the planting site. each TreeSoil installation is positioned to respond to local topography and site conditions

freshly printed TreeSoil bricks are set to dry naturally. their interlocking geometry provides both structural integrity and porosity for environmental exchange

project info:

name: TreeSoil
designer: Material Topology Research Lab | @mtrlab, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa Research

design team: Ofer Asaf, Aaron Sprecher

research & design lead: Ofer Asaf

academic advisors: Profs. Aaron Sprecher, Arnon Bentur, Tamir Klein

research assistants: Tair Shekel, Aviv Shabo

video & stills, direction, cinematography & edit: Tamir Faingold

still photography: Edo Asoulin

creative direction: Dana Zelig

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