At the CES tech fair in Las Vegas, Chinese startup Takway has unveiled a cute AI-powered pet-like accessory, designed to grow physically and emotionally alongside its user.
Sweekar is similar in concept to a Tamagotchi, the popular Japanese handheld electronic toy pet that was launched in the mid-1990s.
However, unlike traditional virtual pets, Sweekar has the capacity to physically change over time thanks to a built in experience points (XP)-based system.
Users can prompt their pet to grow from an "egg" to a "baby", a "teenager" and finally an "adult" through feeding, cleaning and talking to it.
Weighing just 89 grams, Sweekar was designed to fit in your pocket. It features a shell-like body in different colours, which breaks after a two-day incubation period to reveal cartoonish eyes.