Playful Invention Co., a child-oriented tech start-up, was warned that "gender-neutral robotics set" was an oxymoron--but the company is hoping to challenge that notion with its new PicoCricket Kit.

"I wanted to create an all-in-one kit for dogs that would offer convenient and mess-free feeding/watering and options for urinating/defecating," said an inventor, from Lake City, Fla., "so I invented ...