Your 3-year-old is about to become a big brother or sister. You can just imagine how that hyperactive tyke will handle a delicate mini-person. In the meantime, while you’re busy trying to guard against bruised babyness, who’s going to spend time with Granny? She gets so lonely in that nursing home.
Lucky for you, Dave McGoran of the University of West England has a solution. The Heart Robot is a tot-sized snuggle-fest who blinks and purrs in response to physical affection. Its heart also lights up and beats. Heart’s grub-like paleness and sad little mouth are a little depressing, but that is far outweighed by its sheer adorableness. Plus, how useful! You can train Little Tot in gentle baby handling, and when the wee one arrives, pass Heart along to Granny for some lovin’.
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