# Expressive Mechanical Cat Tails The Shippo Tail is a Must-Have Item for Kitty Fashionistas By Wes Walcott | Published 2012-09-24 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shippo References: [kotaku](http://kotaku.com/5945766/the-next-big-japanese-thing-cat-tails) & [neurowear](http://neurowear.com/news/index.html) Accompanying its Necomini headset, which can read your emotional states and convey them through [robotic cat ears](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kraken-kitty-v2), Neurowear is releasing another catlike contraption known as the Shippo. Literally translating to "tail" in Japanese, the Shippo is a mechanical tail that can scan your brain waves and then wag according to how you are feeling. The tail is linked to a [neural smartphone app](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whisker-tracker) that not only reads your mood but also tags your location and shares it with friends through [Twitter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sharp-poketomo) or Facebook. This effectively allows users to see nearby places that other Shippo wearers frequently visit. Catgirls and animal-inspired attire have been a staple of Japanese manga and video games for quite some time now. It seems only fitting that there be products that allow enthusiasts to express their feline fashion sense. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 76% | Activity: 95% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 10% men, 90% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Bizarre](https://www.trendhunter.com/bizarre) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Emotional Wearable Technology:** There is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating wearable technology that can read and convey emotions. - **Neurofeedback Devices:** The development of neurofeedback devices like the Shippo tail presents an opportunity for innovation in the healthcare and mental wellness industries. - **Location-based Social Sharing:** Creating location-based apps that combine mood tracking with social sharing could disrupt the social media and travel industries. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Fashion and Accessories:** The introduction of expressive mechanical cat tails opens up potential disruptive innovation opportunities in the fashion and accessories industries. - **Healthcare and Wellness:** The emergence of neurofeedback devices like the Shippo tail creates disruptive innovation opportunities within the healthcare and wellness sectors. - **Social Media and Travel:** The integration of location-sharing features into mood-tracking apps can lead to disruptive innovation in the social media and travel industries. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI-Powered Smart Feeding Stations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-feeding-station.md) - [AI-Powered Pet Collars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shazam-band.md) - [Clipped-On Fuzzy Robotic Pets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mirumi.md) - [Emotion Recognition Robot Pets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kakaloom.md) - [Robotic Cat Coffee Coolers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nekojita-fufu.md) - [Robotic Cat-Like Mug Companions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nekojita.md) - [Cat-Inspired Wireless Earbuds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/neko-earbud.md) - [Pocket-Sized AI Companions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sharp-poketomo.md) - [AI-Powered Feline Health Trackers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cat-health-tracker.md)