Move over, Labubu, there’s a new cute accessory catching everyone’s attention, and this one actually reacts to people. It’s called Mirumi, a small fluffy robot designed to hang from your bag, quietly look around in public, and shyly turn away when someone notices it or tries to touch it. It doesn’t talk, play music, or connect to your phone. Its only purpose is to behave like a curious, bashful little companion that makes people smile. A robot inspired by shy baby moments Mirumi is created by Japanese startup Yukai Engineering, the same company that earlier made the viral robotic cushion with a wagging cat tail called Qoobo. The name “Mirumi” comes from Japanese words connected to ‘looking’ and ‘stuffed toy,’ which fits perfectly with what the robot does.
According to the company, the idea came from that soft moment when a baby being carried by a parent peeks out and briefly makes eye contact with a stranger. Explaining the emotion behind the design, CEO Shunsuke Aoki said: There’s a very special kind of cuteness when a baby quietly peeks through and makes eye contact with you. We wanted to bring that warm, heart-melting feeling into a small, everyday companion.
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Designed to hang from your bag in public spaces Physically, Mirumi is soft and sloth-like, with long, fluffy arms that wrap tightly around bag straps, backpack handles, or even poles. Once attached, it just hangs there, gently moving its head as the person walks. It is clearly meant for public places like trains, queues, and busy streets, where strangers might notice it and react without expecting anything tech-related at all. How Mirumi reacts to sound, movement, and touch?
Even though Mirumi cannot understand speech, it has several sensors that allow it to react to what is happening nearby. It can hear surrounding sounds, detect when the bag is moving, and sense when someone comes close.
When it picks up voices or noise, it slowly turns its head toward the sound, as if it is curious, and then often looks away again, acting shy. If someone suddenly approaches or touches it, Mirumi ducks its head as if it feels embarrassed. When people pet its head, it responds with slightly different movements each time. These reactions are controlled by a randomised behaviour system, so the robot does not behave the same way again and again, which makes it feel more natural and less mechanical.
Even when no one is interacting with it, Mirumi keeps moving gently, as if it is quietly observing the world around it.
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No screen, no app, and simple charging Inside the fluffy body are small motors, motion sensors, and distance sensors, all controlled by a custom algorithm. There is no screen, no mobile app, and no complicated setup process.
Mirumi charges using a USB-C cable, and instead of sending alerts, it simply shakes its head when the battery is running low. The company says this is intentional, so users don’t have to treat it like another gadget that needs managing. Why are people already calling it the next Labubu? When Mirumi was shown at tech events like CES, many visitors stopped to pet it and even spoke to it in soft voices, similar to how people talk to pets. On social media, users are already comparing it to the Labubu bag charm trend, with some calling it the next big cute accessory people will clip onto their bags. Also read: OpenAI launches ‘ChatGPT Health,’ a new dedicated section within app
Price, colours, and when it will be available Mirumi will be available in colours like pink, grey, black, and white. The expected price is around $70, which is roughly ₹5,800 to ₹6,000. The company plans to launch it through a crowdfunding campaign in 2025, with a wider public release expected around April 2026. So while interest is already growing, most people will have to wait before they can buy one. Just a moment of cuteness Mirumi is not meant to help with productivity, fitness, or communication. It is built for something much simpler: creating small, unexpected moments of happiness during everyday travel and public life.
In a world full of screens and serious gadgets, a shy little robot quietly peeking at strangers may sound unnecessary, but that softness might be exactly why people are falling for it.
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