This robot toy nibbles my finger – and I’m okay with that
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Amagami Ham Ham is for when a cuddly bear isn’t enough and a squeeze in a little plush bear isn’t comforting, not in the same way as you or someone else nibbling on your finger.
I first saw this strange little robotic creature at CES 2022. It was a cuddly sequel to Yukai Engineering’s equally strange but perhaps no less endearing Pet Petite Qoobo Robotwhich was in fact a fur pillow with a wagging tail.
However, this bot was different. It is based on Live Heart’s Nemu Nemu Series (opens in new tab), which gives the two bear designs quite specific, almost Anime-esque looks. And instead of soothing with vibrations and tail wagging, Amagami uses his mouth, which is just the right size for the tip of almost any finger, child or adult.
As the name, which means “soft bite” in Japanese, implies, the little bear will chew on your fingertip when you put it in the little mouth.
Right. It sounds… er… unusual.
In January I only had photos and a GIF to understand this quirk. Now I have Amagami Ham Ham on my desk.
Yukai Engineering actually sent me a few bears to illustrate the two design styles. I decided to take just one
First up, the bear, which lists between $68 and $86 (it’s usually available on eBay (opens in new tab)), is, maybe 8-inches long, smaller than I expected. The body is soft and plush, but not furry. There is a long zipper on the back, which I opened to reveal a battery. Amagami Ham Ham uses three AA batteries (sold separately) and there is a single power switch on the box. I put the batteries in, turned it on, put the plastic box back in the bear’s body and zipped it up.
By default, Amagami Ham Ham is in a slightly slumped sitting position, and instead of beady eyes staring at me, his eyes are permanently closed, as if it’s ape or afraid of what’s to come.
I gently held onto the bear’s back as I gently placed the tip of my index finger in his mouth. Along the underside, under the fabric, I felt a stiff edge, almost like smooth teeth. Moments later, Amagami Ham Ham’s lower jaw moved up to softly bite my finger. Even through his fur and stuffing I could hear the sound of his engines
I pulled my finger out and stared in disbelief. I noticed that the robot has a pressure sensor in the mouth, but I couldn’t quite tell if it’s in the back or along the roof or the bottom of the mouth.
When I put my finger back into the toy’s mouth, I noticed it was now nibbling with more enthusiasm, its little jaw swinging up and down. There was never enough pressure to hurt my finger or even get stuck in it, not even enough to bother a small child (I guess), but I could feel what it was doing.
There are two algorithmically chosen nibbling modes and I could see the bear alternate between slow, rhythmic biting and enthusiastic nibbling.
Yukai Engineering believes this feeling of gentle nibbling is comforting. They compare it to a baby or a small animal nibbling on your finger. Okay okay.
I decided to let some colleagues try it out. They were all fascinated, shocked and slightly uncomfortable. They predicted bad things for Amagami Ham Ham if they were left unattended.
Later I presented the bear to my wife and without explanation I told her to put her finger in his mouth. She said it was like Amagami Ham was breastfeeding her finger. I don’t think she liked it.
I can say with some confidence that there is nothing like Amagami Ham Ham. The plush bear robot with the finger-hungry mouth stands alone in the annals of toys, robotics and self-care technology.
I don’t know what to think, though I’m trying to write this with my thumb in Amagami Ham Ham’s mouth.