Ikea's new robotic furniture could be the future of urban living

The system can add up to eight square metres of space to a room

With cities getting fuller and homes getting smaller, Ikea has unveiled a new generation of robotic furniture which could be the answer to the growing problem of urban living.

The Rognan furniture system has been designed to serve multiple functions within a small space, acting as a sofa during the day, and transforming into a bed at night.

But this is much more than a sofa bed. The design also features desk space and built in wardrobes and shelves, and moves across the room via motors.

The Rognan furniture system has been designed to serve multiple functions within a small space. Courtesy Ikea

The Rognan system was developed alongside US startup Ori Living, and is said to add up to eight square metres to a living space. Ikea says the system has been built with studio living in mind.

"Cities are booming and at the same time living spaces are shrinking," Ikea said. "More and more people are living and moving into cities where approximately an extra 1.5 million people join the urban population every week."

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The product will launch first in Hong Kong and Japan in 2020, where living space is notoriously small. “Rognan transforms small spaces into comfortable, multifunctional homes,” a spokesperson for Ikea added. “It changes to meet your needs, from sleep, to getting dressed, to having guests, and more. The population of cities is growing, and our living spaces are shrinking.”

The Swedish furniture giant is expected to release more information about the system later this year.