So, yeah, LOVOT. You know how Japan is an exotic country full of people different from mostly anyone else? Well, these lovely people have once again proven that their tastes may be different to ours, but they are interesting in the least and kind of beautiful at most. Japanese startup GROOVE X has just officially presented its latest invention: a cutie cuddly little robot called LOVOT. Really, check this link out, you will not regret it. In case you cannot or do not want to, LOVOT is a sophisticated robot created with the intention of being a companion to humans. It can navigate terrain on its own, but moving is only a lesser part of it’s job: most of it includes being extremely cute. When approached, it will make a motion indicating that it wants to be picked up, and it is a good idea to do so; LOVOT is covered with a soft material with temperature just above that of a human, which makes it very pleasant in touch. If you rock it like a baby, it will close its LED eyes, as if falling asleep. Its thermal camera allows it to distinguish living people from objects. 50 sensors installed under LOVOT’s ”skin” allows it to realize when it is being touched or tickled and react accordingly. Long story short, as I said before, LOVOT is made to be loved.

As for technicalities, LOVOT has 43 centimeters in height and weights 3 kilograms. When fully charged, it can be active for 45 minutes; it comes with its own Nest power unit. LOVOT can communicate with Bluetooth and wireless LAN. Its camera can be used as a surveillance device.

LOVOT has been created with people having societal issues in mind; those who have little time for activities with others or those ho just do not feel or cannot handle interacting with real people. In Japan, 40% of citizens are currently single; while LOVOT will not fix this, it might make their lonely lives a bit brighter.