'Study desk, then race car': KIST's shape-shifting robot furniture adapts to children's activities

When a child sits down to study, it becomes a desk and chair. When playtime begins, it transforms into a car, an airplane or a house. South Korean researchers have developed a "robot furniture" system that moves on its own and rearranges a room's layout to match a child's activity — whether eating, reading or playing.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology said Monday that BoT² (pronounced "Bot Square"), a modular robot furniture system developed by a research team led by Kwak So-na and Lim Yun-seop at its Center for Intelligent and Interactive Robotics, won the top prize at an international robot design competition.

The team took first place in the Demonstration category of the robot design competition at RO-MAN 2026, the IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, held in Kitakyushu, Japan, from Aug. 24 to 28.

RO-MAN is one of the leading international academic conferences on human-robot interaction. This year's robot design competition drew 20 finalist teams, including entries from the University of Hong Kong, the University of Auckland, LAAS-CNRS under France's National Centre for Scientific Research, Kyushu Institute of Technology and Hitachi.

BoT² is designed as an "adaptive spatial companion" for shared living spaces, reconfiguring furniture and room layouts to match a child's current activity. The system is built to handle the repetitive work parents typically manage — rearranging furniture and preparing materials — each time a child shifts between eating, studying and playing.

The core concept is transforming furniture. BoT² has three capabilities: "transformation," which changes the shape of each module to suit the user's activity; "mobility," which moves modules to wherever they are needed; and "reconfiguration," which combines multiple modules to create entirely new spatial arrangements.

Each module measures 400 by 400 by 500 millimeters. Adjusting the side panels converts a module into a table, chair, partition or storage unit. Multiple modules can be combined to build purpose-built spaces such as a study room or a play area.

The system also changes how it interacts with a child depending on the situation. Magnetic attachment modules supply items needed for studying or bedtime, and dispense tools and materials when a child is doing a craft activity.

During playtime, the transformation becomes more dramatic. Modules can be fitted with a steering wheel, propeller and headlights to become a car, airplane or house, supporting a child's imaginative play.

The researchers said the technology is not intended to replace parental care but to reduce the burden of repetitive spatial preparation. Because a single furniture system serves multiple purposes, it is also expected to improve the use of limited residential space.

The system could eventually be deployed in daycare centers and education and play facilities. Combined with smart home technology, it has the potential to evolve into a personalized residential service that recognizes a family's daily patterns and automatically arranges the furniture and space they need.

Before the system can be used in real homes, further work is needed — including safety and durability testing over extended use, and the development of an interface that both children and parents can operate with ease.

"BoT² is not a substitute for parental care," KIST researcher Kwak So-na said. "It is a robotic living environment that supports the everyday life children and parents share together, by taking care of the repetitive work of preparing for activities and arranging spaces."