Date:02/10/19

Headless cat pillow with a robotic tail is designed to keep you stress-free

We already know that robots will soon be taking over our lives. We have robots that can do almost anything -- from manufacturing cars to having sex, and now a batch of engineers have created a robot that some would find adorable while others would find a whole lot creepy.
 
The robot is called Qooboo. If the image of this device creeps you out, you're not the only one. The furry pillow has a tail on one end that responds to the strokes of the hand on the top of the soft-furry surface, and no face on the other end.
 
The robot is designed to imitate the movement of an animal's tail.
 
Now you might be wondering why would the engineers (in their right mind) create something like this? Well, Qoobo is actually designed to relax its owners and relieve stress.
 
Made by Yukai Engineering -- a brand is known for creating a wide range of communication robots, when a user strokes or rubs the soft, furry surface of Qoobo, the tail will move automatically, with natural movements, just like an actual cat or dog's tail.
 
Priced at $120 or Rs 8000, Qoobo was revealed to the world as a Kickstarter project where it was able to raise $120,000 (around Rs 85 lakhs). Yukai Engineering created and shipped over 900 units of Qoobo to its backers.
 
According to the creators of Qoobo (on the Kickstarter page), "Through trial and error, we developed a mechanism that closely mimics the flexible and elegant movements of an animal. We selected different materials for various parts of the robot to enhance the movements and the tail's appearance. We also made it durable to allow for use in various environments."
 
Moreover, the creators of Qoobo conducted a study involving 38 participants to find out of the robot could actually help its buyers relieve stress and anxiety.
 
These participants underwent a psych-evaluation before taking part in the experiment. Later they were each given a Qoobo. Researchers measured the changes between the regular state and the candidate's state after getting Qoobo. They used three specific parametres to denote this- current psychological status, pulsation and salivary amylase activity.
 
The study revealed that Qoobo reduced signs of tension, anxiety, depression, among other benefits.

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