http://images5.theimagehosting.com/robot_helper_f.jpg (http://www.wired.com/news/business/0%2C1367%2C58593%2C00.html)

The robot, which Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plans to release in Japan sometime next year, has a round yellow head and black eyes.

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.

"Its primary goal for the Japanese market is to provide companionship … be with (patients) like a health-care provider," said Jawahar Samagond, a spokesman for MontaVista Software, the company powering Wakamaru. "In Japan, they have identified this as a market need."

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0%2C1367%2C58593%2C00.html

I wonder why our companies here in the U.S. arent doing anything to keep up with these guys. They (the Japanese) seem to be outpacing us in everything from TV's to cars to computers to cellphones to gadgets like these.

and I'm not even going to mention the animation department :(

This should be a wake up call for all the guys in M.I.T. and Harvard. :eek:

I know we are just as bad if not worse than america,

This made me chuckle
"Obviously, if this completely replaces human companionship, that would be sad," Tilton added. "But maybe that is a step up from television that keeps a lot of Americans company."