This is TEROOS, a shoulder-mounted telepresence robot that allows you to hang out with your friends while you're at home, lounging in your Underoos.
TEROOS, which was built by researchers at Keio University and Japan's Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute, affixes to your buddy like the Predator's shoulder cannon. Once attached, TEROOS allows you to discreetly communicate with your pal by whispering sweet nothings in his or her ear:
With video chat, people can communicate face to face over a long distance. But the problem is that going out or shopping together can prove difficult. With this system, the person who's going out carries an avatar on their shoulder, so the other person can operate the avatar to look around freely. This can provide an experience just like going shopping or having a date with the other person.
Whoa, let's pump the brakes here. There's a big difference between meeting someone for coffee and gazing amorously at Johnny 5 perched on your shoulder (TEROOS can make googly-eyes right back, thanks to remote eyelid control). But in all seriousness, having one of these could be a hoot. If you ever wanted to add "snarky robotic sidekick" to your résumé, now's your chance.
[Diginfo via Plastic Pals]