Yukai Engineering’s lineup of quirky animal robots at CES 2025 continues with Nékojita FuFu, a small robotic cat designed to blow air on your coffee or food to cool it down. Mounting to the side of a mug or bowl, the robot uses a fan combined with a “special algorithm” — or “Fuing System” — to mimic random air strengths and intervals, much like a human would blow on hot food.
The name “Nékojita FuFu” combines two ideas: “FuFu” is the sound of blowing on food, and “Neko-jita” refers to a “cat tongue,” a term used for those who have a low tolerance for hot food — a condition affecting nearly half of Japan’s population, according to a survey.
Nékojita FuFu was created during Yukai Engineering’s 2024 internal hack-a-thon, the same event that led to the creation of Murami, the fuzzy purse goblin unveiled at CES. The concept for the robot came when a team leader recalled how difficult it was to blow on his son’s baby food years ago without feeling breathless and dizzy.
The robot has several modes, including:
- Basic Main mode: Medium-strength, short intervals of steady blowing.
- Look at That!: Gradually increasing strength, as if fascinated by the food.
- I’ve Got This!: A strong initial blow followed by sustained power.
- The Princess Elegant: Slow, steady increases in strength.
- Sing My Praise: Continuous, strong, short bursts of air.
- Ready Yet?: Stop-and-go medium blows, checking if it’s cool enough.
- ‘Til You Drop: A single long, strong blow.
- Not Gonna Spill: Steady medium blows with deep inhalations in between.
The Nékojita FuFu robot is set to launch in Japan in mid-2025, with an expected price of around $25.
