Karimoku Furniture, GROOVE X

Design of wooden chairs for robots

Takram collaborated with the leading Japanese wooden furniture manufacturer Karimoku Furniture and the robotics startup GROOVE X to design the “LOVOT CHAIR,” a chair dedicated to LOVOT.

LOVOT CHAIR SPECIAL SITE

Sharing a table with a robot

LOVOT is a robot designed to live closely with people, like a family member. However, since it typically moves around on the floor, users could not share a table with LOVOT, hindering family dining time. To address this, Takram designed the "LOVOT CHAIR," allowing LOVOT to share the table and make eye contact with the rest of the family during meals.

The chair comes in two versions: one that matches the height of a dining table and a portable lower version suitable for various settings, such as low tables, bedrooms, and living rooms.

No one has ever designed furniture for robots in the context of living together with humans. The LOVOT CHAIR manifests the potential of design as a medium for unique and lively relationships between humans and artificial beings, which we should see more of as AIs and robots advance further toward us.

An ergonomic design for the robotic body

The shell is crafted to a soft, enveloping shape based on LOVOT’s spherical outline. The seat is flat, providing stable seating for LOVOT and preventing its forward-projecting shape from falling.

Additionally, we included features such as armrests and a backrest for LOVOT to relax, as well as a tail hole for ventilation. While every such detail is tailored to LOVOT’s body, we simultaneously aspired to create a unique style that is distinct from chairs designed for humans.

The shape of the chair aligns with LOVOT's body contours.

The design provides a sense of harmony and a moderate presence in spaces shared with humans.

Collaboration with Karimoku Furniture

The LOVOT CHAIR uses "unutilized timber" from Japanese chestnut trees. These are thin or irregular wooden parts unsuitable for furniture.

Karimoku's technology and skills allowed us to combine the unutilized timber to craft the LOVOT CHAIR's complex spherical shape, minimizing the CO2 emissions required for material use and transport.

'Robot and Wooden Chair Exhibition’

To celebrate the launch of the LOVOT CHAIR, we co-hosted the 'Robot and Wooden Chair Exhibition' at Karimoku Commons Tokyo. Takram lead the planning and design of the exhibition.

Duration: 6 July - 9 August 2024
Organizers: Karimoku Furniture, Takram, GROOVE X
Styling: Yusuke Takeuchi