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Sega robo-cat will meow, won't catch mice

The latest robo-cat from Sega Toys is equipped with touch sensors that let it engage in such real-life feline behavior as purring, moving its legs when you rub its belly, and sleeping a lot.

Leslie Katz Former Culture Editor
Leslie Katz led a team that explored the intersection of tech and culture, plus all manner of awe-inspiring science, from space to AI and archaeology. When she's not smithing words, she's probably playing online word games, tending to her garden or referring to herself in the third person.
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Leslie Katz
Dream Cat Venus
A Sega Toys employee pets the new robot cat "Yume-Neko Venus" in Tokyo Wednesday. AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno

Some will call it cute, others will surely call it creepy. We'll reserve final judgment until we see how it feels when Sega Toys' new "Yume-Neko Venus," or "Dream Cat Venus," sheds on our couch and rubs up against our leg.

The robo-cat is equipped with touch sensors that let it engage in such real-life feline behavior as purring, moving its legs when you rub its belly, and sleeping a lot. It will not, as far as we know, scratch your face or drag mice in.

The furry faux cat (OK, maybe if you're allergic...) is set to hit the market in July, but we're not yet sure for how much. Hopefully by then we will have finally made uneasy peace with the existence of Lucky the robo-dog.

For a better sense of how Dream Cat Venus operates, watch this video of its predecessor, Dream Cat Smile, in action.