At a time when basic human interactions are even discouraged for security reasons, there is an even greater demand for alternative sources of companionship. But if you’re not prepared for the responsibilities of a dog or a cat, Panasonic has introduced it another fellow robot that is dedicated to you through flatulence crises, like a real pet.
Nicobo is not easy to describe; it’s like someone flipping a bowl, giving it lively eyes, a moving tail, and wrapping it in an old sock. It has no locomotive capacity (it won’t come when you call it), but it’s attached to a moving base so you can turn it around and look up and down. Nicobo, developed in conjunction with robotics researchers at the Michio Oka Laboratory at Toyohashi University of Technology, also includes a face recognition camera, several directional microphones to recognize voices and rotate to pay attention, touch sensors to know when to touch or hug and a light sensor so you, like a cat, can enjoy a nap in the sunlight.
Instead of picking up clothes or cleaning floors, Nicobo is all about providing simple company. Thus, when someone admits it, the robot’s tail begins to flutter in gratitude. But it can also have days where the mood is not so affable, and it is probably when you will not think twice about banging around it.
Nicobo can also talk, but at first, speaks only one word (similar to The guardian of the galaxy Groot’s limited but expressive vocabulary), but ultimately whispers complete sentences in katakoto: the Japanese word meaning broken language or childish talk. You’ll never have a long conversation with Nicobo, but his raw murmurs will help reinforce the feeling that he’s really attentive and listens to your feelings, even if he can’t do anything about it. Sometimes this is all a human needs.
Getting your hands on Nicobo is a bit tricky. For starters, Panasonic only plans to initially manufacture 320 units of the small robot, priced at about $ 360. But pre-orders are being handled its own crowdfunding platform with the goal of raising 10,000,000 IEN (about $ 95,000) before production actually takes place. After the first six months, owners are also expected to cough up about $ 10 a month to use what sounds like even Nicobo’s most basic features, such as smartphone connectivity and software updates. We don’t like to see companies using these types of users, but the monthly expenses make Nicobo feel more like a real pet.
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The other complication is that it seems all Nicobo pre-orders are already in demand at this time, approximately six hours after the crowdfunding campaign. There could still be cancellations and there is always the possibility that if Panasonic finds that it has a fugitive blow in its hands, it will increase production. Until then, especially if you’re out of Japan, finding a Nicobo can be harder than the challenges of raising a puppy or kitten.