A rat brain in a dish can fly a flight simulator

(though it wouldn't perceive the humour quotient in an enormous purple dildo)

you: hey, pal, is what i'm saying for real?
me: can a rat brain in a dish fly a flight simulator?

Cordwainer Smith. Something from Norstrilia probably.

Does Grandma Need a Hug? A Robotic Pillow Can Help

The pillow, called the Hug, was developed after the researchers studied how robotics could improve products the elderly use every day. The research team, financed by a grant from the National Science Foundation, came up with 53 different ideas for products. They decided to begin by designing what eventually became the Hug because their research found that what older people often needed most was emotional support, said Jodi Forlizzi, an assistant professor of design and human-computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon.

"Intimate communication is important for maintaining mental and physical health," she said.

The device, which is about the size of a throw pillow but as firm as a seat cushion, is shaped like a person about to give a hug, with two arms reaching up and out from a small torso. The outside is covered in velour, "making it soft and plush and something you would want to hold up against your body," said Carl DiSalvo, a doctoral student in design at Carnegie Mellon who worked on the project.

The Hug is intended to be used within an extended family: for instance, between a grandfather and his far-away granddaughter, who would each have a device. "This is not meant to share hugs with a hundred people," Mr. DiSalvo said. "This is to be used with those closest to you."

Apparently when he suggested it, he was lauged out of the office. Sad. I can't find any good webpages about it unfortunately.