ChouChou Electric Butterfly flutters to life inside a jar

Most robot pets may not be easily mistaken for the real thing, but that's not likely to be the case with the ChouChou Electric Butterfly, which might even have a few people reaching to free it from its jar. Unfortunately, it's the jar that keeps the butterfly "alive" -- it has some AA batteries in its lid that apparently allow the butterfly to respond to vibrations and flutter about. That may not sound like much, but the effect is pretty striking -- see for yourself after the break. Of course, just because it's simple doesn't mean its cheap. You'll have to shell out a hefty $76 to bring this one home.

[DaHarder Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:44PM]

Not exactly sure why, but... WANT!

[Skeptic Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:46PM]

@DaHarder

Tap to activate?

[Heirborn391 Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:51PM]

@DaHarder
I bet if you use Apple's new magical batteries, the butterfly will emit pixie dust!! Just don't tap it wrong.

[Heirborn391 Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:07PM]

@Heirborn391
I wasn't meaning it as a bad thing.. :( I like pixie dust!

[Charles Nguyen Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:12PM]

@DaHarder
Balls

[tobsmonster2 Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:20PM]

@Charles Nguyen
Balls Wide Mouth? I don't get it either.

[CRA1G Posted Jul 27th 2010 5:40PM]

@tobsmonster2 It's a brand of canning jar, that's all.

[SOOPERGOOMAN Posted Jul 27th 2010 11:54PM]

@DaHarder Someone tell that guy its a Jar not Bongos.

[One Love Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:45PM]

no comment.

[Heirborn391 Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:48PM]

@One Love
Um... actually, yes. You just did.

[Squalor Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:49PM]

@Heirborn391: Or did you dream his comment?

[wakeuplan Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:54PM]

@Squalor
We have to go DEEPER to determine that.

[One Love Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:57PM]

@wakeuplan : inhale deeper.

[Peter Fox Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:58PM]

@wakeuplan Like a dream-within-a-dream deeper, or a dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream deeper?

[Heirborn391 Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:02PM]

@One Love
The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma

[duckbf Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:28PM]

@One Love
It only became a comment once you observed it...

[Ceyran Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:41PM]

@One Love
You mean Deepah like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEA99H-sseQ&feature=related

[WilliamNighthawk Posted Jul 27th 2010 7:52PM]

@Peter Fox To perform inception you have to have imagination. So I put a dream inside your dream so you can sleep while you sleep.

[d0mth0ma5 Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:45PM]

That. Is. Awesome.

[LennyTheDub Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:46PM]

Thats amazing. Looks so realistic. Every day since I got my first Sinclair Spectrum, I ask myself, "what will they come up with next"?

[BobVeeTech Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:46PM]

Electric dog in a cage please?

[Indyaner Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:50PM]

@BobVeeTech
anyoing mole in my Backyard please?

[surfernerd6987 Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:49PM]

That's awesome.

[rmbrown09 Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:51PM]

Next up Butterfly spies.

[iPwnUK Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:55PM]

@rmbrown09
Butterspies?

[richb93 Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:03PM]

Sappin mah sentry!

[Clevernamehere Posted Jul 27th 2010 10:04PM]

@rmbrown09
No one ever suspects the butterfly! Muahaha muahaha.
"it was the butterfly! I saw him do it! I swear!" oh nobody believes Willy...

[Kavala Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:51PM]

Thats so just a real butterfly

[Futur1st Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:52PM]

One step closer to the robot uprising...

[Brt312 Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:54PM]

$76. For. A. Jar.

[MIJ Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:54PM]

Wide mouth balls jug is the next fleshlight

[Wag Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:55PM]

What happens if my cat tries to eat an "electric butterfly"?

[GGG Posted Jul 28th 2010 6:29AM]

@Wag

Nothing good. That's what the jar is for.

[GoGoENGADGET Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:55PM]

If i open the jar would the butterfly escape?

[ednomine Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:57PM]

is this a new type of pokemon? an electric/bug :P

[htd Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:00PM]

awesome, that looks real

[jpw Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:18PM]

@htd

Sure, as real as butterfly attached to a clear filament below it. . . .

[durangojim Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:08PM]

Also on sale is the GIMP in box from Pulp Fiction. Any Zeds out there interested?

[APV Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:12PM]

I'm sad at all of the people who think it's cute.

It's only cute until It escapes and murders you slowly while you sleep. Think, Lunesta butterfly on crack.

[DaHarder Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:14PM]

@APV

Sounds like the basis for The Butterfly Effect 2: When Butterflies Attack!

Who Knows...

[lukewakeford Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:23PM]

Ahem

Never gonna give you up,
Never gonna let you down,
Never gonna run around and desert you

[DalsR Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:23PM]

i love the fact that you guys always post stories (unless its apple related lol) days later after gizmodo in this case 10 days .

http://gizmodo.com/5589772/the-robotic-butterfly-that-flies-like-the-real-thing

there was even a post today, that u posted and it was posted there like last week.

either u need to read them more often, or be more productive. :)

and i love engadget too, i think of gizmodo more of like a 4chan to techs lol but i still love them and love reading the comments there too lol

[simbadogg Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:01AM]

@DalsR
yeah its weird how behind engadget is to gizmodo sometimes. i actually like the people who visit engadget more, the commenters. plus the articles are usually more sensibly written. but really unless its apple related, it seems like gizmodo has the edge these days, kinda weird.

[KiZooN Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:29PM]

OoOoooHhh your my best friend~In a world we must defend~electric butterfly~ I'll tap the jar and you flap real hard~electric butterfly

[Ceyran Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:48PM]

@KiZooN
Dang chouchou does rhyme with pikachu -_-'

[Charles Nguyen Posted Jul 27th 2010 8:28PM]

@Ceyran
"ChōChō" != "ChuChu"
Chou (or chō) is butterfly in Japanese

[GSGeek Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:35PM]

Ookay, weird name, weird concept... When do we get its R/C version?

[benger Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:37PM]

does it have a soul?

[irbe9 Posted Jul 27th 2010 4:45PM]

if it would flop around without hitting the cap then it would be a must have accessory in my house :p

[leigh Posted Jul 27th 2010 5:13PM]

It looks very real. I'm impressed.