VIDEO: Ingenious Robot Pets Your Dog So You Don't Have To!

Everybody knows we love our dogs in Montana.  They're not just pets, they're best friends.  And beyond that, they're indispensable sources of heat on winter nights. 

But be honest -- every now and then they can be, well, a tiny bit needy.  You're in the middle of something important and then here comes the pup, asking for scratches.  You're busy, but you love the little beast.  So before you know it you've blown an hour on petting your doggo, your original task unfinished and neglected. 

Well, we've got the solution for you -- the automatic dog scratcher.

Last week we told you about the burgeoning war between moose and robotic lawnmowers, but this ingenious invention goes to show that robots and animals can live together after all, just as long as the robots can give affectionate pets to their animal overlords. 

The only caveat: the machine is designed for big dogs.  Littler dogs, like this poor little guy, need not apply.

What do you think about the Automatic Dog Petter, and what's next?  Something that is automatically sad that your cat is ignoring you?  Something that automatically gores you when you try to pet a buffalo?  

What on earth will science think up next?