Called the Leopard, Japan's Oki Electric Industry Company and Okamura Corporation have developed a robotic chair that will rise up to meet you as you sit. It's based off of a robotic set of legs the duo developed that better simulates jumping for bipedal 'bots. The chair doesn't jump, but it will tilt to cuddle you, bringing both the seat and the backrest in to greet you. It'll also gently push you upward when it feels you stand.

The companies describe the sensation as "seating comfort akin to being held in someone's arms." It's currently designed to handle folks weighing 120 to 130 pounds (which pretty much counts the rest of the world out) and is slated for a 2009 release. The Japanese firms plan for more variations of the cuddly 'bot to be available in the future.

Tech-On!, via GizmoWatch