At the Tokyo Fiber exhibition in Omotesando last weekend, Panasonic unveiled the "No-Constraints Carpet" (tentative product name?), an innovative hot carpet with the warm, fuzzy appeal of a beloved pet. The carpet's luxurious coat of faux fur (available in white, brown, or skunk-like black and white) houses a set of smart heating elements that deliver warmth only to the areas you touch when you cuddle it. Squishy, flesh-like control switches modeled after the paw pads of your favorite furry friend enhance the carpet's overall zoomorphic feel. Available in two sizes -- 1.5 meters (5 feet) or 7 meters (23 feet) -- the carpet also makes an interesting sofa decoration when not being used as a heating device. The patent is pending, so Panasonic has not yet released all the product details.

[Photo: IN-duce's Flickr photo stream]