The Moflin is a Tribble-like AI Pet with Emotional Capabilities

What you’re looking at is an artificial intelligence-driven furry electronic pet that can express its own emotions via movement and sound. The Moflin’s AI allows its emotions to constantly change based on its environment – much like a real pet’s, except you’ll save a small fortune on pet food. Originally launched as a Kickstarter project, the campaign was a success, and Moflins will be available later this year for around $400. Still, no word if they’ll breed as quickly as Tribbles.

A Moflin constantly scans its surroundings with its sensors and uses its own interactions to determine patterns and respond accordingly, with “an infinite number of movement and sound combinations” available to express its feelings. Not bad. For reference, I’m only capable of grunting and shaking my head no.

Pretty cool, but if they really wanted to sell these things they should have scored the Star Wars licensing rights and made them look like Baby Yoda. You wouldn’t be able to keep them on store shelves! They’d be this year and every year’s must-have Christmas gift. Wait – did I just come up with a multi-million dollar idea? We need The Mandalorian’s blessing, STAT. Somebody call him, tell him The Child is in trouble.

[via BoingBoing]

Star Trek Interactive Tribbles Spell Serious Trouble

You know what the trouble is with all the tribble collectible toys out there? They’re not interactive. Well, that’s about to change, thanks to the guys from Science Division, who are showing off a cuddly Star Trek tribble that works in concert with a smartphone app to perform some basic duties aboard your personal starship.

Each 8″ interactive tribble can vibrate, makes a variety of cute cooing and purring sounds, and has three modes of operation:

  • At Ease: Your Tribble is not searching for Klingons. It will trill to acknowledge you when you interact with it. It will also trill on its own without being picked up because, well, it’s a Tribble. When left alone, your Tribble will continue to trill, but will do so less frequently to avoid irritating its human companion.
  • On Duty: Your Tribble will begin actively seeking Klingon agents. Pass it around to determine who is an ally, and who is an enemy among us. It will trill when it meets a friend, but it will scream if it detects a Klingon!
  • Watchdog: If you must leave personal items unattended, set your Tribble on top of the object that you wish to protect. If a Klingon agent attempts to retrieve that object, your Tribble will alert you with a scream!

Science Division plans on shipping its interactive tribbles starting in early 2020. You can pre-order yours now for $59.99. I wonder if they’ll just start multiplying if you only buy one.

[via Bleeding Cool]