Pet-like robots are attracting attention in Japan as companions for people spending time at home amid the spread of coronavirus infections. Some such robots, which are designed to comfort and relax users but do not have specific functions to help them, have been sent to care facilities to alleviate the loneliness of residents who have less in-person contact than before due to the pandemic. The cushion-shaped Qoobo was released by robot maker Yukai Engineering Inc. in 2018. The robot wags its "tail" in line with how strongly it is rubbed by the user. Inspired by the tails of dogs and cats, the company developed the robot for people who cannot have pets.

Nagoya – While many people have learned to stay in touch with loved ones, friends, and colleagues through videoconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the reduction of face-to-face interaction has boosted a market for robots providing substitutes for physical human contact. "Healing robots," such as the cuddly humanoid Lovot developed by Groove X Inc., Sony Corp.'s Aibo robotic dog, and Qoobo, a furry cushion with a tail that moves in reaction to strokes developed by Yukai Engineering Inc., are seeing sharp sales rises, the companies say. Lovot and Aibo can gather data on the well-being of their owners and report it remotely, which is why some people are gifting the automatons to their older parents living far away whom they are refraining from visiting due to infection risks. "When people feel uneasy or lonely, they tend to yearn for a sense of physical touch," Hiroshi Ishiguro, a professor of intelligent robotics at Osaka University, said in explaining the reason behind the trend. "Through healing robots, they must be trying to confirm the actual existence of others, which is hard to really feel on the telephone or through videoconferencing," he said. Lovot, a mascot-like robot with round eyes that stands 43 centimeters tall, has even found its way into a kindergarten in Nagoya, to help young children who may be affected by the emotional stresses created by the pandemic.

While many people have learned to stay in touch with loved ones, friends, and colleagues through videoconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the reduction of face-to-face interaction has boosted a market for robots providing substitutes for physical human contact. "Healing robots," such as the cuddly humanoid Lovot developed by Groove X Inc., Sony Corp.'s Aibo robotic dog, and Qoobo, a furry cushion with a tail that moves in reaction to strokes developed by Yukai Engineering Inc., are seeing sharp sales rises, the companies say. Lovot and Aibo can gather data on the well-being of their owners and report it remotely, which is why some people are gifting the automatons to their elderly parents living far away whom they are refraining from visiting due to infection risks. "When people feel uneasy or lonely, they tend to yearn for a sense of physical touch," Hiroshi Ishiguro, a professor of intelligent robotics at Osaka University, said in explaining the reason behind the trend. "Through healing robots, they must be trying to confirm the actual existence of others, which is hard to really feel on the telephone or through videoconferencing," he said.