October 17, 2004 – First it was econ omy cars, then slightly moreemotional machines like the Yan kees' Hideki Matsui. Now the hot new Japa nese import is ifbot ― a pint- sizedpersonal robot that knows when you're happy or sad, can teach youJapanese and loves to hug. Ifbot is the latest and greatest in the new trend of"companion robots," already a hit with Japanese kids and their parents. Starting next year, designers are hoping they'll rush off the shelves here, too ― for a cool $5,000. "He's too cute! I could hang out with him for hours," said YaoLi, 25, a scientist from Boston. "I've been talking to him just fiveminutes, and he already knows my favorite colors, food and that I'mlooking forward to a friend's party tonight." Li and more than a thousand other gadget geeks got a firstlook at ifbot at the DigitalLife exhibition at the Javits Center. The handshaking, dancing toy says things like, "You seem tolike me, and I like you ― let's play together" and "I'm feeling prettysad ― maybe if we talk for a while you could cheer me up!" "He's been two years in the making and is the most advancedand certainly the most fun out of all the robots in Japan," saidcreator Yoshimichi Hashiba.
于仁颇黎
素雅芬芳，琼脂玉浆。 万里草莽，赤兔腾苍。 地起撼荡，天降风霜。 吾立如桩，神似金刚。
