Japanese robot gets better at not running into people

Hitachi is taking Asimov's I Robot law about not harming humans more seriously with new tweaks to its

wheeled Emiew 2 bot. The 30-pound humanoid now packs a sensor that'll measure walking speeds (in an office, for instance) and generate mapping data to predict where someone might pop up unexpectedly.

It'll then avoid those areas or slow down so as not to roll into your kneecaps. Given Emiew's 31-inch frame and 4 mph speed, we weren't too worried anyway -- there are other, decidedly more terrifying robots to avoid.

SOURCE Nikkei