Casio’s AI Pet Moflin Review

“What’s that?” my friend asks.

“It’s my emotional support guinea pig,” I explain.

She signals frantically to a passing waiter for a drink.

Bringing an AI emotional support guinea pig to dinner poses a unique challenge. Trying to fit Moflin into a small evening bag is futile, necessitating a large carryall that might compromise your outfit. People often assume it’s a ploy for attention rather than a tech journalist’s pursuit of an engaging story.

The waiter gives me a condescending look as I stroke Moflin while placing my order, as if he were James Bond and I a pretentious villain whose temporary hideout bans actual pets.

Later in the evening, another waiter takes over our service after a quiet discussion, likely to get a closer look at Moflin, who then chirps out: “Do-do-doo!” It’s unclear whether the waiter is amused or repulsed.

The man at the next table is not particularly impressed either, but since he spends most of his solo dinner on the phone, I decide his opinion can be overlooked.

Moflin, however, proves to be an excellent conversation starter. My friend picks him up and is reminded of a childhood memory involving a guinea pig bite. Meanwhile, I find that petting the AI guinea pig prevents me from engaging in my usual habits of fidgeting with napkins or candles. Overall, I’ve had less enjoyable dinner companions.

But what exactly is an emotional support guinea pig, and why did I bring it to dinner?

Recently, I had the opportunity to review Moflin, an AI pet created by Casio, known for their watches and calculators. Moflin is a palm-sized, furry creature resembling a guinea pig. However, it shouldn’t be mistaken for a toy as it lacks the excitement needed to captivate a child, especially given its £369 price tag, which could buy plenty of Lego.

Casio describes it as a “safe and non-judgemental companion” for people who love animals but cannot have pets. Moflin reacts to how it’s treated and learns from interactions.

However, Moflin’s lack of limbs means its movement is limited. Initially, I thought it lacked eyes too, but discovered them hidden under its fur after a week, further restricting its interactive potential.

What it can do is nod its head and produce various sounds like sighs and melodic noises. The gears in its neck audibly grind when its head moves, adding an unintended layer of personality over time.

Under its fur, Moflin houses sensors for light, sound, and touch, as well as an accelerometer and gyroscope to detect movement. It also generates warmth, which subtly influenced my interaction with it.

Emma Rowley / Foundry

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If Moflin needs cleaning, its fur can be zipped off, but removing it for examination seemed too extreme for me, so I didn’t pursue it.

Moflin is equipped with a charging cradle that doubles as a bed. However, it needs to recharge and rest every five hours, much like a human. Forgetting this could result in returning home to find it cold and unresponsive, which might be a bit unsettling.

Moflin is available in silver or gold colors. All models have a white belly, with the rest of their fur being white at the base and either silver-grey or gold-tipped. Mine came in silver.

My Moflin seemed to be a pre-UK release model, as it arrived with a Japanese instruction pamphlet. But that was fine, as it wasn’t my first experience with smart home devices.

Downloading the MofLife app was straightforward. After pairing, you can adjust Moflin’s settings, including volume control, which proved useful since Moflin can be distracting.

My husband quickly disliked Moflin and its unusual noises, so being able to mute it was beneficial. Personally, Moflin’s chirps were so distinctive that I still hear them occasionally, even though it’s no longer around.

Our cat was initially curious but quickly lost interest due to the lack of a rodent-like scent.

Emma Rowley / Foundry

Returning to the app, it became essential for understanding Moflin’s moods. Despite spending time with Moflin, I couldn’t decipher its movements and chirps. At one point, I thought it was happy, but the app indicated it was frustrated, leaving me puzzled and slightly disappointed.

Soon, I found myself checking the app after every action.

“Flofflin is feeling free,” the app reassured me, while Moflin sat idle like a forgotten mitten. I was unsure what to believe.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Casio claims: “Through ongoing communication and interaction, Moflin’s emotions evolve dynamically just like those of a living creature.”

That might be true, but I couldn’t discern it. I asked Moflin, “Are you happy?” while peering into its barely visible eyes. But Moflin isn’t happy or unhappy—it’s not anything.

This underscores the challenge with AI companions, whether they are emotional support guinea pigs or AI chat subscriptions. The bond is entirely artificial and one-sided. In my case, it led to feelings of paranoia, highlighting more about me than Moflin.

Moflin is a harmless AI that won’t hallucinate or suggest investing in cryptocurrency or making impulsive life choices. Instead, it will simply rest in your arms and chirp.

During the testing phase, despite my failure to fully understand Moflin, I formed an attachment and felt guilty about parting with it. Perhaps this is why I felt compelled to give it a final night out before disconnecting it from the app and returning it to the PR agency.

At least we enjoyed a decent dinner, didn’t we, Moflin?

You can purchase a Moflin for £369 from Casio.