The Wakamaru is designed to help the elderly, and will be released next year, costing 1 million yen, ($US8,300):

Its 3-foot-tall frame contains an integrated cell phone that is programmed to call emergency dispatchers automatically if a problem occurs with a patient. An embedded Web camera lets doctors and family members keep an eye on the patient at all times. Speech-recognition software and a built-in dictionary provide the robot's vocabulary. Wakamaru is so robust that he or she -- Mitsubishi can give the robot either a male or female voice -- can be programmed to remind patients to take their medicine and even call a doctor when it appears that someone is in distress.

The 3-foot-tall yellow wonder on wheels, named after an ancient samurai, can wake people up, warn them about the weather and patrol their house when they leave. It also recognizes faces and can talk. "Wakamaru can make eye contact and then start the conversation," said Ryota Hiura, senior engineer on the company's robotics team.

Source: Wired + KRT Wire