This Adorable Robot Helps You Develop Good Habits

Summer is over and it's time for us to focus on how to improve our daily lives through the fall and winter months. Luckily, Kayla Matheus and Laura Day have created MOTI — a robot for developing better habits. This little device will become your new best friend, telling you to keep going, getting upset when you don't meet your goals, and celebrating your accomplishments. No more phone push notification that you just ignore or press snooze on — MOTI is here to get you where you need to go!

Matheus and Day used their knowledge of social robotics and behavioral science to create MOTI and make it into the most effective robotic companion you'd want around. The science around it is based off of the habit loop theory, a theory that posits that our habits are formed due to a trigger, routine, and reward. We are triggered to do something because the reward will be great. That's why it's so easy for us to form bad habits; the rewards are more immediate and satisfying. MOTI will try to do the same thing for habits that we aren't normally inclined to form.

If you're wondering where you can get one of these futuristic helpers, check out the MOTI Kickstarter. You can donate to it for the next 28 days and receive one of the first versions of this little guy. Their initial investment goal has already been reached, which just goes to show you how much people want MOTI in their own lives.

MOTI focuses on building up one good habit with you at a time. You will have to program him using the MOTI app that comes with the product. After the initial setup, this cute device starts to learn more about you in order to tailor the reward to you specifically. You'll then want to place your MOTI in the location best suited for your habit — meaning if you are trying to exercise in the morning, having it by your bedside table is ideal. Here is a video of the MOTI working to get you to go to sleep early.

Pretty simple, right? MOTI starts by telling you that it's time to go to sleep, which you can choose to ignore until you finally give in. If you go to bed early it will reward you with a special light show depending on your progress. If you ignore it, it will get angry and show how displeased it is with you. (Yes, MOTI is basically your mom.)

It can work for a variety of habits — anything from exercise to drinking water. You make this into your own little helper to give you that extra push when you need it. Get ready to be a new you!

Images: YouTube