Japanese start-up Yukai Engineering is popular for creating robots that spark joy and amusement within you with some great products such as a headless robotic companion cat called Qoobo, and a therapeutic pillow for companionship, and now theyre back in the game with a furry new bot called Mirumi. Being a cat lover myself (and an owner of 2), having an adorable plush robot that actually is coy rather than brushing things off my desk like my cats usually do will be a refreshing change.Picture this: a cuddly, plush-like creature thats more than just a toy. Meet Mirumi, your new best friend, whos bursting with personality and charm. Designed to embody the wide-eyed wonder of an infant, Mirumi is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors that allow it to detect people nearby. It turns its head with delightful curiosity, its googly eyes locking onto you with an innocence thats impossible to resist.Designer: Yukai EngineeringAlthough Mirumi is curious, it is also quite shy. If you move towards the bot or try to touch it, it will instantly shy away, ducking away from your attention. Mirumi has been unveiled at CES 2025, and has turned quite a few heads already. Mirumi cant move around by itself, all it can do is turn its head but it has been equipped with emotional interactions such as curiosity, inquisitiveness, bashfulness and even nods a no to convey a reaction no being approached. To top it all, it comes equipped with long arms that will cling to the strap of your bag or backpack, allowing you to carry your furry companion with you wherever you like.Mirumi is equipped with a distance sensor and an inertial measurement unit to detect movement. If someone taps the robot or a bag begins to move, Mirumi will focus on the person or object detected close by. It will woo that person over with its adorable eyes and furry persona! However, if someone appears out of nowhere or tries to touch it, it will turn its head away, feigning the shyness of an infant. If you jiggle Mirumi, it will shake its head to say no, showcasing dislike. If no one engages with the robot for some time, it will begin its adorable head movements again to capture your attention.The furry bot is designed to be a comforting companion robot, designed to soothe its people. It hugs your arm or bag, making you feel comforted and less alone. It almost looks like a little grey chick is clinging to you! People often find great joy in sharing their own happiness with others. Mirumi is a robot that enables you to do just that, said Yukai Engineering CEO Shunsuke Aoki. Whether youre riding a crowded train or standing in line at the cashier, your Mirumi will always find a way to reach into peoples hearts with its innocent gaze, prompting the person to wave at the robot or make a funny face in response.Mirumi aims to be your moment of calm, to soothe you when you feel anxious or just be your companion in arms through life. Knowing the world and its reach, with notifications pinging us every second and the urgency culture amplifying things, Mirumi is a gentle nudge to feel that peace within something I know will help meet my goals to connect and gather more glimmers every day.The post This Adorably Shy Robot Companion At CES 2025 Is Designed To Spark Joy first appeared on Yanko Design.

Mr. White, a close ally of President-elect Donald J. Trump, further strengthens the social media giants connections with the incoming administration.

The "Works with Apple Home" logo will likely be on more smart home products in the future, because the Connectivity Standards Alliance's certification program is now assuming HomeKit support is available after devices pass tests for Matter.The 'Works with Apple Home' badge makes it easy to find HomeKit hardwareThere are multiple smart home platforms in operation, but there has been work over the years to make it easier for hardware to communicate with each other. In a new move, the CSA is aiming to make certifications for interoperability easier for device makers, and more understandable for consumers.Announced on Monday, the CSA launched a pair of certification programs, which leverage the CSA's Interoperability Testing Facility, or Interop Lab. The intention is to streamline the certification application process and to reduce costs for software updates, while still keeping performance and interoperability standards high. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

It's not true that Apple has always shunned the Consumer Electronics Show, but in 2025 it is yet again the most dominant company at the event, despite not being there.Apple and CES 2025 logos image credit: Apple and CESApple's disregard of CES is so well known that it was headline news in 2020 when it was claimed that the company was attending it again. But Apple didn't exhibit anything, didn't launch anything, and it didn't have a stand.It was only there to take a stance instead. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Victrola used CES 2025 to expand its audio offerings, including a collection of new turntables and a pair of speakers.Victrola AutomaticAs a regular attendee of CES, Victrola uses the occasion to introduce that year's audio catalog. For 2025, that collection consists of five different turntables and a pair of bookshelf speaker systems.The turntables start with the Victrola Wave, which offers Bluetooth 5.4 support, aptX Adaptive, and aptX HD Auracast broadcast audio. It also has wired connectivity options to go with the wireless versions. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

This post is brought to you by LAGI 2025 FijiThe Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) 2025 competition officially launches today, inviting architects, designers, and innovators worldwide to contribute to a groundbreaking vision for Marou Village, Fiji. This is your chance to design a permanent destination artwork that not only captivates but also transformsa creative installation that generates clean energy, provides drinking water, supports local tourism, and fosters a sustainable future for this coastal village.A Unique Opportunity to Make an ImpactThe competition challenges participants to integrate regenerative energy and water systems in a way that harmonizes with Fijis breathtaking landscapes and cultural heritage. Submissions are due by May 5, 2025, and participation is free and open to all.Two winning teams will each receive a $100,000 USD stipend to refine their designs and develop functioning prototypes in Fiji. Winning concepts will also be celebrated in an internat...

The overlooked contribution of Paul Rudolph, Luis Fry, Sr., and John Welch to campus life at Tuskegee University will come into focus soon via a new exhibition hosted in New Haven by the Yale School of Architecture.Their seminal work together over nine years to culminate the space known now as the Tuskegee Chapel in 1969 forms the subject ofThe Tuskegee Chapel: Paul Rudolph X Fry & Welchcurated by Class of 2010 Yale SoA grad Helen Brown Bechtel in partnership with academics and researchers from Tuskegee andMIT.

The month of February is going to be incredibly packed as far as new game releases are concerned, and Warhorse Studios and Deep Silvers Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2is set to kick off that flurry of releases in the early days of the month. Ahead of its launch, in fact, more granular details about the title are continuing to filter through.For instance, PlayStation Store-tracking Twitter page @PlaystationSize has shared that the open world action RPG has a substantial download size of close to 84 GB on PS5- or 83.981 GB, to be precise. That is, of course, par for the course by modern standards, though many are going to have to clear up some space for the game ahead of its approaching release.Presumably, we can expect similar sizes on Xbox, though the PS5s decompression does allow it to often tout relatively smaller sizes, so theres that. On PC, for instance, the game requires 100 GB of free storage.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2is due out under a month from now, on February 4, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.https://twitter.com/PlaystationSize/status/1876363609963745537

It was only back in 2022 that Meta launched a high-end variant of its Quest VR headset line in the form of the Meta Quest Pro, though the devices life has reached an early end. The company announced in September last year that it would be stopping the sale of Quest Pro headsets once it had sold through its existing stock, and it seems weve come to hat point.On the official webpage for the Quest Pro, Meta now confirms that the device is no longer for sale, with a message on the page redirecting users to purchasing the Quest 3 for the ultimate mixed reality experience and premium comfort.The Quest Pro launched worldwide in October 2022, retailing for a price of $1,499.99. Criticism was directed not only at its high launch price, but also other factors such as the implementation of its mixed reality features and its lack of strong early software support. The devices quick death doesnt come as a huge shock, then, especially with the majority of the VR market continuing to shrink by the day.

The golden-fronted woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) is a species of bird in the woodpecker family, Picidae. It is found in the southern United States, Mexico and parts of Central America. It inhabits mesic and xeric landscapes, including mesquite brushlands and riparian woodlands. It can also be found in urban parks and suburban areas. Males and females have the same plumage except for the pattern on their heads. Adult males have a red crown and a golden orange to yellow nape with a gap between them; females have a grayish crown and a paler yellow nape. The golden-fronted woodpecker has a diet of adult and larval arthropods, some aerial insects, fruit, nuts and corn, as well as occasionally eating other birds' eggs. The bird has a loud call and a short, slow drumming pattern. This male golden-fronted woodpecker was photographed perching on a branch in Copn, Honduras.Photograph credit: Charles J. SharpRecently featured: Cathedral of La LagunaHolger DrachmannMediterranean morayArchiveMore featured pictures