Japanese Company Develops Robotic Cat that Nibbles User’s Fingertip

In this Jan. 10, 2018 photo, Yukai Engineering's Tsubasa Tominaga demonstrates Qoobo, a cushion robot, at his office in Tokyo. (AP)

Yukai Engineering, the maker of the Qoobo robotic cat, has revealed a new soft robot that nibbles on a user’s fingertip.

The company hopes the “somewhat pleasing sensation” will brighten up your day, reported the German news aAgency.

According to the TechCrunch website, the new toy, named “Amagami Ham Ham,” has an algorithm called a “Hamgorithm” that selects one of two dozen nibbling patterns, so you’ll never be sure exactly what you’ll feel when you shove your digit into the robot’s maw.

Yukai designed the patterns to replicate the feeling of a baby or pet nibbling on one’s finger.

“Amagami” means “soft biting” and “ham” means “bite” in Japanese. Yukai based the look of the robot on a character from Liv Heart Corporation’s Nemu Nemu stuffed animal series.