Konpanion, the Edinburgh-based human-centric robotics company, has released its new robot, called Maah, onto the market.

The robot, designed to help with emotional support and companionship, was developed by a team of eight engineers, designers, and roboticists. The soft, fabric exterior aims to provide comfort to those suffering from loneliness and mental health issues, and the ‘living pillow’ features intelligent data design to provide feedback to users.

Founded in 2018, Konpanion was funded in part by its founders as well as through external sources including Creative Informatics, Scottish Edge, and Old College Capital.

Maah, the living pillow, began its journey at Central Saint Martin in London before becoming a research project at the University of Edinburgh. Developed in response to mental health specialists concerns, and interest from vulnerable groups, Maah transitioned from a research project into the commercial offering it is today.

The product features intelligent, customisable, and connected design, with technology-enhanced emotional support resembling that of a pet.

Beyond this, Maah integrates health and wellness monitoring through sensing technology, and features an API that feeds information back to users when they are interacting with the pillow.

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Alexandre Colle, CEO and co-founder of Konpanion, says: “Konpanion challenges the idea that humanoid robots are essential for meaningful human-robot interaction. Maah embodies our vision of a living home underpinned by design excellence, sustainability, and human-centric innovation.

“We’re proud to introduce Maah to the world and look forward to rolling the robot out later in the year as it will offer a seamless blend of companionship and health monitoring benefits for all.”