Yukai Engineering unveils Qoobo, a robotic cushion with a wagging tail
Yukai Engineering unveiled Qoobo in October 2017, a roughly foot-wide robotic cushion whose tail responds to stroking, aimed at people who cannot keep pets.
Full assessment3 claims · 3 technical notes · 2 sources
It was not yet on sale, and coverage pointed to a crowdfunding campaign first.
WatchingThe gap between the unveiling and actual shipments, since timing and price were unsettled.
A dated unveiling of a single-motion companion robot, with price and ship timing unsettled at announcement.
On autonomy
- Tail moves in response to being stroked or held
- Sensors also trigger occasional tail movement when left alone, per a hands-on review
- No navigation or locomotion; the robot is a stationary cushion
On readiness
- Not yet a commercial product at unveiling, per press coverage
- One report said shipping expected the following year with no price set
- Another report said a planned crowdfunding campaign before retail
3 maker claims checked against the record. Open one to read the finding.
A therapeutic companion like a pet
Ready for buyers
A set launch plan
2 sources · all linked
Technical notes
3 sections
Unveiling
One report on October 4, 2017 covered Qoobo from Yukai Engineering, describing a robotic cushion with a wagging tail, roughly a foot in diameter, offered in Husky Gray or French Brown. It stated Qoobo should ship sometime the next year and that pricing had not been set. Another report on October 6 said Qoobo was not yet a commercial product and would begin as a crowdfunded project later that year.
How It Works
Per one report, the tail moves when the cushion is petted or hugged, and sensors also make it move occasionally when left on its own. Another report describes the tail responding more the more the cushion is stroked.
Pricing Signals
One report said a planned launch in June of the following year at around $100, in the same two colors, while another said no price had been set. The two accounts did not agree on commercial terms at the time of the unveiling.