At the beginning of 2026, a small furry robot named Mirumi emerged, designed to interact with its surroundings with remarkable emotional intelligence. Mirumi is an innovation from the Japanese company Yokai Engineering, a name inspired by the Japanese verb "miru," meaning "to look." The robot's creation, spearheaded by CEO Shunsuke Oki, aims to evoke the automatic joy we feel towards pets, serving as an "ambassador of happiness" in crowded trains or tedious waiting lines. Available in three attractive colors (pink, gray, and ivory), its Kickstarter campaign launched with a starting price of around $122. Mirumi uses advanced sensors to detect motion and distance, allowing it to "look" at you curiously, tilt its head toward passersby, or even avert its gaze shyly if a stranger approaches too suddenly, mimicking the behavior of children or animals. The concept for Mirumi was born during an internal company contest in 2024 and quickly captured attention at the CES 2025 tech expo in Las Vegas. Now, the robot has become a social media sensation, with users rushing to reserve their own units, considering that owning a "little friend" that interacts with you is far better than just a phone app. Unlike robots built for heavy tasks, Mirumi has a single purpose: to spread joy.
