【Roman Huber】

Source：Wisdom Convergence Information Network Editor：Tech Time：2025-06-26 14:11:50

I've officially reached the point in quarantine where a farting cat robot has claimed the number one spot on Roman Hubermy wish list. I'm specifically talking about Nicobo — Panasonic's very own companion robot.

First spotted by Gizmodo, Nicobo doesn't really do much other than wag its tail, turn around, blink its little eyes, and talk a bit. Oh, and it also farts when the mood strikes. It also looks more like a stuffed sock than it does a cat, but it's still very cute regardless.

Hidden on the inside, however, are some pretty advanced features. Using built-in microphones and cameras, Nicobo can recognize your face and voice as well as turn towards you. And, with touch sensors, it knows when you're petting it or hugging it.

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However, securing your own Nicobo isn't as simple as hitting the "order" button. According to Gizmodo, Panasonic only plans on making 320 units for around $360 each, all of which have already sold out on pre-order. Production on these sock robots hasn't started yet either — the company is attempting to raise 10,000,000 YEN (about $95,000) through crowdfunding first.

And, just when you thought spending over $300 was enough for Nicobo, you're stuck with additional expenses. After six months with it, you'll have to shell out about $10 a month to connect it to your smartphone and to also receive software updates.

I probably wouldn't say this if any other product were that expensive, but for a lil companion like Nicobo, the money weirdly seems worth it. Then again, maybe I just need to leave my apartment more often.

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【Roman Huber】

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