oLand

oLand is a desk gadget that sets out to occupy a particular middle ground: present enough to lift your mood when you look up from work, quiet enough not to demand attention while you focus. Presented as a Kickstarter project, it pairs an AI pet that appears to float in the air with a miniature world built from real objects, so the character reads less like an on-screen avatar and more like a small companion living on your desk.

How the floating effect works

Rather than showing the character on a conventional display, the maker says a high-brightness panel inside the unit projects upward onto a transparent holographic film set at 45 degrees, making images appear to hover above the tank. The film is described as optical-grade, high-transparency polyester with nanoscale dielectric layers formed by magnetron sputtering, and the maker states it is thinner than a human hair. The intended effect is that the digital pet and the physical scene beneath it merge into a single view.

The back of the unit opens to reveal a waterproof tank. The maker suggests filling it with crystals, figures, dried flowers or notes, or adding water to grow aquatic plants or marimo; terrarium plants are another option. The idea is that each owner's oLand looks different, and the scene evolves as items are added over time.

The residents

oLand launches with three AI pets, each with its own personality and play style: MOLI, inspired by marimo; Flick, based on a Japanese tit; and Pubo, modeled on a flapjack octopus. A collaboration character, FUFU, is also part of the lineup. The maker also describes a feature that builds a custom AI pet from three to five uploaded photos or videos of your own animal, recreating everyday behaviors such as sleeping, eating, stretching, waiting at the door and greeting you home.

According to the maker, the pets remember past conversations and respond with earlier topics and circumstances in mind. For pets created from your own animal, oLand is said to reproduce its familiar voice, with MOLI translating its "words," and the digital pet occasionally sends messages about its days in oLand.

Interaction without the screen

• Pod: a soft, detachable controller. Press to interact, long-press to talk, shake for MOLI to draw a fortune or FUFU to send a calming message, and tap the top nub to switch modes without opening the app.
• Silent replies: squeeze the Pod to choose A or B when the pet asks something like whether you need a coffee break.
• Short breaks: a bubble-popping squeeze game and a 1-minute guided breathing exercise synced to sound, light and animation.
• Millimeter-wave radar: detects presence and movement without a camera, so the pet wakes as you approach, follows your hand and settles when you leave.
• Real-world sync: wake-up greetings at a set time, and ambience that changes with actual weather and seasons.
• Photo display: images and short videos uploaded via the oLand App can appear on the holographic layer.

The Pod can also be clipped to a bag. The maker says additional pet animations will be added over time, and Matter support is planned for the future to connect with smart home setups; this is described as not yet a finished feature.