When we’re stressed out, we look for relief wherever we can get it. Some people use stress balls. Others go for bubble wrap. There are also those who eat their feelings.
That said, a Japanese company called Yukai Engineering has come up with a very unusual stress reliever. The product is called Qoobo. It looks like a robotic cat with no head.
Perhaps, Yukai Engineering took inspiration from various studies that say pets help people cope with stress better. Indeed, Yukai Engineering has tagged the Qoobo as “a tailed cushion that heals your heart.” The product description reads: “When caressed, it waves gently. When rubbed, it swings playfully. And, it occasionally wags just to say hello.”
The company is marketing Qoobo as a means of “comforting communication that warms your heart the way animals do.”
Qoobo comes in two colors: Husky Gray and French Brown. The product site indicates that it’s set for mass release in Autumn 2018.
So far, Qoobo has featured some testimonials on its site from those who were lucky enough to test the product.
CNET’s Tim Stevens stated, “On first blush, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Yukai Engineering’s Qoobo, but as soon as I picked the thing up it was pretty clear that it didn’t matter. It’s adorable and I couldn’t stop petting it and that’s pretty much the point.”
Meanwhile, Engadget Richard Lai said, “As a cat owner myself, I was surprised by how realistic the tail moved, especially with how its wagging intensity increased as I petted it harder (my cat would eventually warn me with a bite).”
Qoobo seems to be an acquired taste. It may strike some people as creepy since it has no head. (We certainly can’t get over its headlessness!) Perhaps, Yukai Engineering should consider placing heads on succeeding models. It can’t hurt to make them look as realistic as possible.