Minimum Viable Cat

Custom software and electronics, aluminum, feline vibrations (2018)

It’s 2020. Every Desk Should Have A Cat

The Great Loves of the Internet Age

That’s right: cats, and fancy servant computers.

What are the essential functionalities of a cat? What are the essential functionalities of a smart device? Our research team at the factory did months of research, and we stripped down to the core intersection between the cats you love and the smart devices you love. We identified three critical aspects:

1. The physical interaction of stroking your device.
2. The positive feedback you get when you’re interacting.
3. The social capital you get from owning the latest gadget.

Business School 101

If you look at the axis of Smart and Easy To Use you’ll see that our iPhones (and by extension our Smart Devices) are both, while our cats, though smart, are not easy to use.

But if you think about our smart devices, while they make our lives easier, they might be spying on us, not to mention throwing elections in the most powerful country on earth (I’m looking at you, Facebook).

Maybe We Need To Change The Metric

Because who doesn’t need to be comforted, especially these days.

The Core

Using this information, we started out with a rectilinear, techy looking device:

And then iterated on functionality.

A Not-So-Smart Device

We came up with a sleek and sexy, rectilinear technological device that blinks a notification light when it needs your love. and purrs when you pet it. Comes in Black, White, and Rose Gold.

Minimum Viable Cat

Smart Enough. And doesn’t spy on you.

This project was developed at the Laboratory Residency Spokane. Mailing list to learn more about ongoing project development is here.