Android Robot-Ball Can Fill Bathtubs Or Turn Heating On

The fact that this little critter only speaks Japanese should give you some clue as to its target market, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate a robot that switches on the air-con (or perform other tricks) on command.

Made by Sanyo, the Mirai Sanzo robot is powered by Android and measures just 22cm in diameter. So far, so dinky. But inside, the voice-recognition chip, Wi-Fi component and sensors mean it can respond to human’s demands – as long as their house is wired for support. [TechCrunch via UberGizmo]