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IKEA will start selling Ori’s robotic furniture next year

Ori and IKEA are working together on a robotic furniture product, shown here in a rendering.IKEA

Ori, the Boston-based maker of robotic furniture, is on track to get its technology in front of millions of new customers. The company this week announced that the home furnishings giant IKEA will begin offering products powered by Ori next year.

IKEA said it will launch the collaboration in Hong Kong and Japan with an integration called ROGNAN. The companies said the product “will be able to turn small spaces into smart spaces that have all the comfort and convenience of a home.”

Renderings released by IKEA and Ori show a combination couch and bookshelf that pulls away from a wall with the touch of a finger to reveal space for a bed and closet.

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The product is similar to others that Ori has introduced on its own. The MIT-born company’s first offerings were combinations of sleeping, storage, and entertaining space that were sold directly to developers looking to add flexibility and appeal to studio apartments and other small spaces.

Last year, the company launched its first product for sale directly to consumers — a convertible closet that also functions as a desk and entertainment center. The “pocket closet” starts at about $6,000 for the smallest model.

IKEA and Ori haven’t said what they’ll charge for the products they’re making together. The companies said they’ve been working together on the product integration for a few years.

“We share IKEA’s passion to enable people to make the most of their living spaces, and look forward to helping realize this as we continue to develop living spaces for the next generation,” Ori founder Hasier Larrea said in a statement.


Andy Rosen can be reached at andrew.rosen@globe.com.