Sega's Robot Cats Have Nine Lives
Sega Toys is rolling out yet another robot cat companion, though we're not exactly sure why they keep trying.Sega's latest robot feline
From what we can tell by checking the stores here, polling shop clerks, and scanning our network of contacts in the business, the robot cats, and most of the other low cost companion robot products have been non-starters.
Some similar product offerings, like the super cute infant robot Yumel from Takara/Tomy have sold well and have developed a strong and devoted customer base. Unfortunately that goal has escaped Sega, at least so far.
One of the big attractions of the robot pets, at least to senior citizens is that they don't die. It turns out that seniors really want pets to comfort them in their old age, but they really worry about what would happen to the pet once they pass away, who would take care of it... So, a battery operated dog or cat is the perfect solution.
Just a side note for the record, Sega didn't create E.M.A. Although the press often misstates the facts and attributes the robot to them.
The robot was actually created by Mark Tilden's robot group at WowWee and is marketed by them under the Femisapien name. Sega licensed the robot from WowWee, translated the instructions and support material, renamed it, and has been trying unsucessfully to market it here at almost double the US list price.
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