Qoobo, a Tailed Cushion That Provides Ultimate Comfort for Your Heart,
Now Available on Kickstarter
TOKYO, Oct. 23, 2017 – The Kickstarter campaign for Qoobo, one of the most talked-about gadgets from CEATEC Japan 2017 that has drawn more than 10 million video views, is going strong, raising more than 85 percent of the goal amount in less than five days. Offering it for the early bird price of 10,000 Japanese yen (approx. $88), Yukai Engineering, the Tokyo-based robotics startup that has developed Qoobo, hopes to raise 5,000,000 Japanese yen (approx. $43K) to have the tail-wagging cushion comfort spread unconditional love in people’s homes.
Kickstarter
Kickstarter page: http://kck.st/2l0b2ZR
Goal amount: 5,000,000 Japanese yen (approx. $43K USD)
Pledge amounts: 10,000 Japanese yen (approx. $88 USD) and up
Qoobo is a robotic cushion with a cat-like tail that makes realistic moves in response to the user’s stroking and rubbing. It also sometimes wags spontaneously to call the user’s attention. The simple communication that only uses tail movements without relying on sounds or facial expressions is intended to provide a sense of comfort to people the ways animals do. Yukai decided to develop Qoobo when a staff member moved into an apartment that did not allow her to keep her cat. The company’s engineers studied the animal tail and created a mechanism that closely mimics the movement.
Yukai unveiled Qoobo on Oct. 3 at CEATEC Japan 2017 in Tokyo and received an overwhelming response from event-goers as well as the audience of the U.S. media that provided coverage, including Mashable, Engadget and Cnet. The online video featured on NowThis Future alone has so far netted more than 5.2 million views.
“The response has been absolutely overwhelming. It shows how many people are longing for the sense of comfort that only animals can provide,” said Yukai Engineering CEO Shunsuke Aoki. “Many seniors, including my own parents, wish to own a pet but can’t due to various reasons. I truly hope Qoobo will help make their everyday lives more joyous for them.”
“The tail is a common feature for many different animals. Because Qoobo doesn’t have a face or limbs, it allows users to imagine it to be a cat or a dog or whatever they want it to be,” said Naoka Takaoka, Yukai’s designer responsible for the product’s concept and design.