A new AI-driven device called OATs, developed by a Carnegie Mellon PhD student, transforms ordinary objects like plants and skateboards into interactive virtual pets that express emotions to motivate user engagement and care.
- OATs use sensors to track object status and display corresponding emotions.
- The devices foster user engagement by making objects 'needy' virtual pets.
- Battery life limits usage but highlights proof-of-concept potential.
What happened
Daehwa Kim, a PhD student at Carnegie Mellon University, developed a novel AI system called OATs—Object Agent Twins—that assigns tiny AI avatars to everyday objects. These avatars are shown on small E Ink screens and respond with cute, expressive animations tied to sensor inputs like moisture, motion, and temperature. For example, a plant’s OAT shows sadness when the plant needs watering and happiness when it’s cared for.
Kim presented this project at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology, where she earned two Honorable Mention awards. OATs are designed to encourage user interaction with physical objects by making them feel alive and emotionally engaging in a way inspired by ’90s Tamagotchi virtual pets.
Why it matters
In an era where people are constantly focused on smartphone screens, OATs offer a fresh approach by externalizing AI interactions into physical spaces without needing a mobile device interface. By assigning personality and emotional feedback to objects, OATs motivate users toward better habits such as watering plants, exercising with dumbbells, or even safely operating equipment like 3D printers.
This approach showcases how human-computer interaction can evolve by blending AI with everyday environments rather than isolating it to mobile or desktop devices. Additionally, the relatively low cost of the hardware—around $20 per module—indicates potential for wider adoption once technical challenges such as battery life are addressed.
What to watch next
The main limitation currently is the battery life of OATs, lasting only three to four days under typical use, which restricts their practical application. Future iterations will need to focus on improving energy efficiency and sensor integration to make the devices more user-friendly and sustainable for daily life.
Beyond hardware improvements, it will be important to observe whether Kim or others decide to commercialize OATs and how users adopt these AI pets in varied settings. The concept could expand into health, safety, and behavioral monitoring markets, especially as the 'cute' AI avatar trend continues to gain traction in consumer technology.