IKEA has partnered with American start-up Ori on Rognan, a shape-shifting furniture system that moves robotically to create more flexible living areas in compact homes.
Unveiled this week at Democratic Design Days, IKEA's annual conference, the system is a combination of Ori's robotic platform and IKEA's existing Platsa storage solution.
By touching a button, the system retracts on wheels to provide a further eight square metres of living space that can transform a living room into a bedroom or walk-in closet.
One side might contain a tucked-in bed, while the other could offer storage and a seating area, or any other space-saving combination.
Rognan is a combination of Ori's robotic platform and IKEA's Platsa storage solution
"Instead of making the furniture smaller, we transform the furniture to the function that you need at that time," explained product developer for new innovations at IKEA, Seana Strawn. "When you sleep, you do not need your sofa. When you use your wardrobe, you do not need your bed etc."
The system works through a combination of mechanics, electronics and software that combine to create a moving bank of furniture. Some of the technology used is already found in lawnmowers, robotic vacuum cleaners and other household goods.
The robotic element involves the system creating a map of the space using machine learning the first few times it moves across the floor. This allows the system to build up a picture of the room.
"Every floor ...