IRIS 4.0 is a Fabric-Covered Smart Speaker Orb That Watches from Above - Yanko Design

"Smart speakers usually sit on kitchen counters, bookshelves, or bedside tables, plastic cylinders and pucks buried behind plants and picture frames. Their microphones and speakers are often half-blocked, and they still feel like gadgets you add to a room rather than part of the room itself. Nobody seems to know where these devices actually belong, so they end up scattered across every flat surface, fighting for space and power outlets."

"Formeta's IRIS 4.0 is a fabric-covered sphere that hangs from the ceiling like a light fixture instead of sitting on a shelf. The AI assistant concept is designed for Industry 4.0, meant to integrate into modern living spaces by becoming infrastructure rather than décor. Its central, elevated position keeps it unobstructed while handling security monitoring, sound control, and lighting, turning the assistant into something closer to ambient architecture than a countertop gadget."

"The audio side relies on a 6×6+1 sound system that emits sample sound waves to read the room and optimize audio distribution. Being in the ceiling means it is not blocked by books or walls, and multiple drivers throw sound evenly in all directions. The result, at least in theory, is better room acoustics and more consistent voice pickup than a single forward-firing speaker sitting on a counter behind clutter."

Smart speakers commonly sit on kitchen counters, bookshelves, or bedside tables, often half-blocked by plants and picture frames and competing for space and power outlets. IRIS 4.0 is a fabric-covered sphere designed by Formeta to hang from the ceiling like a light fixture, intended to become infrastructure rather than decor. Its elevated central position keeps sensors unobstructed while providing security monitoring, sound control, and lighting, making the assistant part of the room's architecture. A 6×6+1 driver array emits sample sound waves to read the room and optimize audio distribution, promising improved acoustics and more consistent voice pickup. The design also offers customizable ambient lighting.

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