What it does
Co-Owl combats the loneliness faced by 1 in 4 of Japan's elderly. It's a companion robot that integrates seamlessly into life by offering conversation, yet automatically sleeping during social interactions to ensure privacy.
Your inspiration
This project was inspired by my grandmother, who felt lonely yet hesitated to contact family for fear of being a burden. I found existing services focus on emergencies, not companionship. The core idea formed when I realized a physical AI could be a true partner if it respected social distance. This led to Co-Owl as an owl, symbolizing quiet wisdom, emerging from an egg to represent a new relationship. Realizing this concept required three years of dedicated development, learning the necessary skills from scratch. The goal is simply to build a society where the elderly no longer have to feel such loneliness.
How it works
Co-Owl features a basketball-sized, egg-shaped body that opens to reveal an owl's face. Built-in motors create lifelike head movements, such as nodding and looking around, to enhance interaction. The entire system is easily rechargeable via USB-C. Running as a dedicated application, Co-Owl provides natural conversation using AI, with head movements synchronized to the dialogue in real-time. It connects to Wi-Fi to deliver online information like news and weather, manage schedules, and set reminders. Its core innovation is the Social Awareness Feature. Using voice analysis, Co-Owl detects when the user is speaking with guests and automatically enters a discreet sleep mode. This unique ability to "read the room" ensures it never intrudes, allowing it to be a true companion that respects privacy and provides emotional support rather than just mechanical assistance.
Design process
Phase 1: Concept Design (2 months) Based on my grandmother's experience, I conceptualized a "robot to heal loneliness," establishing the core design motifs and the essential "Social Awareness Feature." Phase 2: Mechanical Design & Prototyping (3 months) The mechanical design focused on perfecting a durable opening mechanism for the egg-shaped body through iterative 3D printing and optimization. Phase 3: Electronic Circuit Design (2 months) I developed a custom, compact control board to manage all motors, power systems, and wireless communications efficiently. Phase 4: Software Development (4 months) Software development centered on tuning the "Social Awareness Feature" and creating a real-time communication protocol for synchronized movements. Phase 5: Integration & Testing (1 month) All systems were integrated and fine-tuned for practical, real-world use, focusing on motion, responsiveness, and battery life. After a total development period of 12 months, the functionality of a true companion robot was realized.
How it is different
1. True Social Awareness Unlike always-active voice assistants, Co-Owl uniquely detects conversations with others and enters sleep mode to maintain proper social distance. 2. Lifelike Physical Presence Rather than only monitoring for emergencies, Co-Owl provides daily emotional support through lifelike physical movements, creating a true partner experience. 3. Approachable Design In contrast to complex and expensive robots, Co-Owl’s simple and friendly design—an owl in a silver egg—blends into any home without intimidation. 4. Integrated Support Co-Owl integrates multiple functions like web search and scheduling into a single platform designed for holistic emotional support, not just mechanical aid. 5. Proven Practicality Co-Owl’s design is not theoretical; its functionality has been proven and refined through daily real-world use, ensuring it is practical and reliable.
Future plans
My immediate plan is to enhance the prototype’s AI through field trials, adding emotion detection and personalized machine learning. Following this, I will focus on reducing manufacturing costs for affordable mass production, aiming for widespread adoption through partnerships with care providers and governments. The long-term vision is to expand Co-Owl into a comprehensive ecosystem that integrates with healthcare and community services to fundamentally solve loneliness. I am committed to this future by open-sourcing parts of my technology, aiming to pioneer an era where technology truly supports human connection.
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