Robot shows Prime Minister how to loosen up
From China Daily

A robot with impeccable manners charmed guests at a state dinner with his wisecracks and dancing, outshining Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla and showing up his often-mocked social stiffness.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (L) applauds while his Czech counterpart Vladimir Spidla (R) shakes hands with the robot Asimo Honda, before a dinner at the Hrzan's Palace in Prague, August 21, 2003. [Reuters]
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi unveiled an improved version of the 4-foot-tall Asimo humanoid on an official visit to the Czech Republic, where the word robot first appeared in author Karel Capek's 1920 play "R.U.R." (Rossum's Universal Robots).

http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-08/23/content_257670.htm

Sony's dancing humanoid robot learns how to jog
By Yuri Kageyama / AP Business Writer

TOKYO -- Sony Corp.’s walking robot already knows a few hip dance steps and can kick a miniature soccer ball. Now, it can jog -- a new trick that developers say is ingenious because it requires the machine to jump off the ground, even for a fraction of a second.

The new skills of the humanoid, developed by the Japanese electronics and entertainment giant’s robot unit that makes the dog-like Aibo, were demonstrated to reporters at a Tokyo hall Thursday.

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