Watch: Could this round, fur cushion with a robotic wagging tail be the pet of everyone’s dreams?
All the perks, without any of the work. But is it as marvellous as a yapping puppy or a disdainful kitten?
Who doesn’t want a pet without the pain of cleaning up after them?
A Japanese company, Yukai Engineering, will bring you the “pet experience” with all its perks without any of the work – that is, if a pet’s fur and wagging tail are your primary reason for wanting one.
After designing a series of unusual products, like Bocco the family robot and Neocomimi the robotic cat ears (videos below), the company has just launched a round, fur cushion with a robotic tail that wags.
“Tails: a communication tool that doesn’t require words,” states the video (above). It’s called Qoobo, combining the French words for “tail” and “robot”. But here’s the catch – the cushion has no head or limbs, just a tail.
The aim of the robot is to comfort its owner and provide “tail therapy” by wagging its tail like a real pet. The tail, mapped on cat and dog behaviour, is certainly as lifelike as can be, judging from the video above, and responds to stimuli like stroking and patting, which is detected by an accelerometer..
Qoobo will soon be launching a crowdfunding campaign to kickstart production, and is expected to cost about $100 when it finally becomes available in 2018. It is slated to be a therapy robot for treating depression and anxiety.