Japanese Company Develops Robotic Cat that Nibbles User’s Fingertip

In this Jan. 10, 2018 photo, Yukai Engineering's Tsubasa Tominaga demonstrates Qoobo, a cushion robot, at his office in Tokyo. (AP)
In this Jan. 10, 2018 photo, Yukai Engineering's Tsubasa Tominaga demonstrates Qoobo, a cushion robot, at his office in Tokyo. (AP)
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Japanese Company Develops Robotic Cat that Nibbles User’s Fingertip

In this Jan. 10, 2018 photo, Yukai Engineering's Tsubasa Tominaga demonstrates Qoobo, a cushion robot, at his office in Tokyo. (AP)
In this Jan. 10, 2018 photo, Yukai Engineering's Tsubasa Tominaga demonstrates Qoobo, a cushion robot, at his office in Tokyo. (AP)

Yukai Engineering, the maker of the Qoobo robotic cat, has revealed a new soft robot that nibbles on a user’s fingertip.

The company hopes the “somewhat pleasing sensation” will brighten up your day, reported the German news aAgency.

According to the TechCrunch website, the new toy, named “Amagami Ham Ham,” has an algorithm called a “Hamgorithm” that selects one of two dozen nibbling patterns, so you’ll never be sure exactly what you’ll feel when you shove your digit into the robot’s maw.

Yukai designed the patterns to replicate the feeling of a baby or pet nibbling on one’s finger.

“Amagami” means “soft biting” and “ham” means “bite” in Japanese. Yukai based the look of the robot on a character from Liv Heart Corporation’s Nemu Nemu stuffed animal series.



Apple Names Insider Sabih Khan as COO

The Apple logo is seen on the Apple store at The Marche Saint Germain in Paris, France July 15, 2020. (Reuters)
The Apple logo is seen on the Apple store at The Marche Saint Germain in Paris, France July 15, 2020. (Reuters)
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Apple Names Insider Sabih Khan as COO

The Apple logo is seen on the Apple store at The Marche Saint Germain in Paris, France July 15, 2020. (Reuters)
The Apple logo is seen on the Apple store at The Marche Saint Germain in Paris, France July 15, 2020. (Reuters)

Apple on Tuesday named insider Sabih Khan as its chief operating officer, taking over from Jeff Williams, as part of a long-planned succession.

Khan, who has been with Apple for 30 years and is currently the senior vice president of operations, will take on the new role later this month, the iPhone maker said in a statement.

Before joining Apple's procurement group in 1995, he worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics.

Williams will continue to report to CEO Tim Cook and oversee the company's design team and Apple Watch.

The design team will report directly to Cook after Williams retires late in the year.