Have you ever just wanted a cat, but without a head?
The Qoobo is a new invention from Yukai Engineering that aims to give you all you need in a small furry companion without any of the mess, fuss or general responsibility of caring for a living and breathing animal.
It's essentially just a round pillow with a tail. There's no head or feet. It comes in two colors, Husky Gray and French Brown. It wags and curls its tail when you pet it. It even vibrates to simulate purring.
The Japanese invention was unveiled at the CEATEC trade show in October and should cost around $100 when it debuts in Japan in summer 2018, Engadget reported.
The idea behind the robot came about when its designer was forced to leave her cat behind when her new apartment wouldn't allow pets, reported Edgadget. She wanted to come up with a substitute that could make her feel better.
The lifelike tail is a big selling point for the robot, and will change speeds depending on how much you pet it.
"We have studied the actual tail and developed mechanisms and programs to reproduce the movement," the company said in a statement translated by Mashable.
Feeling comforted is the main goal of Qoobo, according to the company's website. The three-step process to using the robot is "Stroke, React, Get Healed."
So it's not a real cat. It can't stare uninterestedly at you, catch mice, meow at the wall or harass you when you're trying to sleep. On the flip side, you'd save a ton on kitty litter.
.jpg?w=600)
