LAS VEGAS – The Japanese company Yukai Engineering unveiled Nékojita FuFu at CES 2025, the Las Vegas tech expo focusing on technology, particularly artificial intelligence, which concluded on January 11. Nékojita FuFu is a small cat-shaped robot that attaches to the side of a cup or bowl and blows air to help cool its contents (such as a cup of coffee).
The presentation of Nékojita FuFu
The Tokyo-based company states that Nékojita FuFu combines a fan with a special algorithm to blow air at random intensities and intervals, mimicking human behavior.
The unique name comes from a blend of two distinct concepts. “FuFu” is an onomatopoeia that indicates the sound people make when blowing on hot food. “Neko-jita” means “cat tongue,” a term used to describe people with a low tolerance for hot food or drinks.
This name refers to a condition that, according to a survey, affects nearly half of Japan’s population.
“Nékojita FuFu was born during Yukai Engineering’s internal Make-a-Thon in 2024,” the company explained, as reported by TechCrunch. “A team leader recalled how, years ago, they had wished for assistance in blowing on freshly cooked food for their child, as the task often left them out of breath and dizzy.”
