Parents beware: your little monsters will want this

A ONE-WEEK-OLD dinosaur which develops its own personality depending on how its owner treats it is set to be the must-have toy of 2007.

The Pleo is described as a life-form by its manufacturers Ugobe and is said to feel pain, have its own rudimentary emotions and can yawn, hiccup and sneeze.

A prototype of the toy designed by the American Caleb Chung — who also came up with the Furby doll — was demonstrated yesterday at Britain’s biggest toy fair in London’s ExCel Centre.

Ugobe are hoping it will rival the remote-control robot Robosapiens to become one of the best-selling toys of 2007 and plan to have it on the shelves by July or August.

The small green and brown dinosaur is based on the long-extinct Camarasaurus.

Mr Chung said: “Pleo is the first truly autonomous life-form capable of emotions that allow personal engagement.”

The toy has sensors fitted all over its body as well as microphones on either side and an infra-red camera in its nose so that it reacts like a real living, breathing dinosaur.

Pleo has basic emotions and can be happy, aggressive, sad and scared. He may even cry when he is frightened and will also sigh, sniff, cough and sneeze.

Sensors on his four feet mean he will be cautious as he walks to the end of a table and may peer over the edge but will not fall off.

Abuse sensors will pick up if he is “hurt” and if he is hit in the leg, he might limp for up to 20 minutes.

The toy is expected to cost around €300.