StackChan: Kawaii Co-Created Open-Source AI Desktop Robot

StackChan is a kawaii open-source desktop robot co-created by M5Stack and the Japanese maker community. Far beyond a desk ornament, it listens, responds to touch, chats with an animated face, and works as an AI voice assistant — answering questions, setting reminders, controlling smart-home devices and your phone. As part of the M5Stack ecosystem, both hardware and software are fully open for makers to remix; it can even act as a little home guardian watching over kids and elders. Launched in January 2026, it raised about HK$3.58M (≈$458K) against a HK$78,000 goal — roughly 4,593% funding from 4,142 backers, a phenomenon in the open-source robotics community.