Fancy a personal dragon? US students build AI pet that you can touch

A team of students at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) has developed Luceal, an innovative AI pet prototype that blends virtual reality with physical interaction. Created under the Physical Presence Pet (PPP) project, Luceal is a plush animal embedded with custom textile sensors that respond to touch, sending signals to Apple Vision Pro VR headsets to provide real-time virtual animations and reactions. This integration allows users to physically feel and interact with a virtual pet, combining tactile features with expressive digital behavior. The project was guided by professor Olivia Robinson, who introduced the team to e-textiles, enabling the seamless incorporation of conductive fabrics into the plush form. The concept was inspired by the desire for a constant companion, especially for those unable to have real pets, such as international students, and draws on nostalgia from digital pets like Tamagotchi. The team envisioned creating exotic virtual creatures—such as dragons or seals—that users could interact with in ways not possible with real animals. Designers on the