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This strange accessory gives any smartphone what?

Answer: A finger.

Called MobiLimb, this prototype device is sure to knock any competitors out of the top spot for the title of weirdest smartphone accessory. It consists of an average finger-sized attachment that can be plugged into a smartphone and acts much like the real appendage. It can even inch itself across the floor using a beckoning motion.

Human-computer interaction researcher Marc Teyssier, who helped develop the device, told Digital Trends that he was motivated by a desire to bring the sensation of emotion through touch to interactions between people and their smartphones.

“In real-life communication, we use touch to communicate emotions with others,” Teyssier said. “However, current technology doesn’t use touch as an information channel. ... Because they’re always in our hands or pockets, smartphones are becoming companions for humans — yet right now they remain a cold and flat technology.”

They even developed a couple different versions, including a furry one and a flesh-like one to make it even more realistic (and creepy). More details can be found in the team’s research paper.

Kate is a senior copy editor in Northern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in professional writing from the University of California, Davis.