Nippon News Network has brought us details of a series of new robots that promise to lighten the load of the average Japanese housewife. First up is Toshiba’s ApriPoco, an 8.4-inch tall bot that is essentially a universal remote control in cutesy robot form. ApriPoco uses infra-red technology and ‘listens’ to verbal commands to control your electrical domestic appliances. Then there is a remote-control motorized robotic table, which sounds kind of risky to me – I prefer my tables stable. It comes with a motorized chair, which could be fun, and is designed for people who cannot move their furniture. Last but not least, the IRT bods at the University of Tokyo are launching a kitchen bot that will do the dishes without breaking them – something I am hopeless at. They have also promised to launch a robot maid that will make your room spotless and deal with your dirty laundry. Excellent. Time to out your feet up and enjoy some R&R, I think ladies.

Now all we need is a cooking robot and maybe even a gardening bot to make domestic life, bliss.
[Technabob]