We introduce Object-Agent Twins (OATs), a toolkit for creating Tamagotchi-like companions for inanimate everyday objects. OATs allow non-expert users to easily author small personality-bearing agents tied to real-world artifacts such as a tea kettle, pet bowls, and a trash can. These OATs act as expressive proxies for physical objects, using real-time sensed data to drive simple needs, moods, and behaviors. In contrast to conventional smart-object interfaces that expose raw status and data, OATs render object state through character, making everyday infrastructure more socially legible and emotionally engaging. Through deployments, we show how this approach enables users to transform ordinary things in their lives from passive infrastructure into lightweight companions that invite attention, interpretation, and care.

Research Team: Daehwa Kim, Chris Harrison