We’re surrounded by robots but hardly ever notice them because they don’t look like robots. They’re usually not humanoid in shape and often lack a shape at all. Usually, they’re just programs.
Robochan is the result of some tinkering by an enthused hobbyist. An iPhone3G was hooked up to a Kondo Kagaku KHR-2 HV kit robot. Then it learned to sing, dance and wave leeks around.
Seeing Robochan in action, one can easily understand why so very few robots are humanoid. Attaching the iPhone to an imitation primate body makes it much less useful and much more of a novelty. We have enough novelties.
