The Panasonic 'Nicobo' is a robotic pet created in co-development with the robotics researchers from Toyohashi University of Technology Michio Oka Laboratory and is focused on providing companionship in a new way.
The cat-inspired robot has a rounded design that gives it an almost cartoon-like appearance that will react according to the user. This includes a wagging tail and eyes that will wink in appreciate when petted, while the cheeky companion robot can even fart when it doesn't get what it wants.
The Panasonic 'Nicobo' is available now for purchase in Japan, but is limited to just 320 examples priced at $360 each. If successful, the robot could be made in larger quantities to offer consumers a less labor-intensive way to keep a pet companion nearby.
What's Driving This Trend
- Robotic Companions
- The trend of creating cute and responsive companionship robots could lead to disruptive innovation opportunities in the pet industry.
- Cartoon-like Design
- The trend of using cartoon-like designs in robotics provides an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the toy industry.
- Behavioral Intelligence
- The trend of developing intelligent robots that respond to human interaction presents disruptive innovation opportunities for the robotics industry.
Who This Affects Most
- Robotics Industry
- The robotics industry could benefit from producing more responsive and intelligent robots.
- Pet Industry
- The pet industry could explore the development of robotic companions as a new product category.
- Toy Industry
- The toy industry could use cartoon-like designs to make more appealing and entertaining products.
