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Perfect Pet for the Technophile Generation

Every parent would want the best for their children.
Parents work hard in order to give the needs and even
the whims of their kids. As much as possible they
would give them everything they want. There are times
though when what they ask is not within the capacity
of the parents. Giving in to the children�s whims all
the time is not a good idea. For parents who find
themselves in situations when it is just impossible to
give what the kids ask for, try to find for a
replacement that will achieve the same effect as what
is originally asked for. Take the case of finding a
perfect pet for example.

The Compelling Reason

Having a pet seems to be a part of a one�s childhood.
It is during this time when most kids would appeal to
their parents to get a pet. However, introducing a
real animal to the family entails compromises in
various aspects of family life. Children are not the
only ones who need to adjust; every family member
should do his or her share to accommodate the new
addition. Most of the time, it is the parents who
carry the burden of making a big adjustment. Even if
getting a pet is contrary to the parents� wishes, they
are compelled to give in knowing that it is essential
in the fulfillment of childhood stage. For those
families living in small apartments or children whose
parents do not have the time to spare for pet care,
you might just find the newest invention heaven sent.

The Pseudo Pet

Gupi, a mechanical guinea pig was released in the
market just recently. It is a better version of the
now defunct Sony Aibo. Although it is a product of
robotic technology, it looks and feels like a real
guinea pig complete with accessories to make play time
lots of fun. It is awesomely autonomous and posses a
playful behavior that is very interactive.

The gupi strolls around the house very realistically
with the aid of its patented feet. You wouldn�t have
to worry of bumps and collisions since it is guided by
the sensors located in its eyes to avoid obstacles. It
could even find its way out when walking through
mazes. Its actions depend on its mood. Your caress
will be detected by pressure sensors and will give it
a feeling of being loved and it instantly becomes
happy. It is very reactive to voices and sounds.
Whenever happy, it will run towards the person calling
it. Be sure not to make so much noise or too loud
because this will scare the gupi away. If something
scares the gupi, it runs away and hides into the dark.
When no one plays with it and is being neglected, it
becomes lonely and withdraws into a corner. After an
hour of not having human interaction, it puts itself
to sleeps as a way of power saving.

The carrots that come with it serve to replenish its
energy. Whenever the gupi gets hungry, feeding it a
carrot will revitalize it. With its renewed vitality,
the gupi is fun to play with once again. Being a
homing device is another of its three functions.
Pressing the carrot will release an infrared beam
which is detected by the gupi.

Others may think that this is just a toy but then
again its being close to the real guinea pig makes it
a way for parents to assess whether their child is
ready for bigger responsibilities. For now, the gupi
will serve as a perfect pet.