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For a robot, almost on its own

TOKYO: Hitachi is working on an R2D2-like security robot on wheels that can map out its surroundings using infrared sensors and a camera to detect missing items, suspicious packages and intruders. The 57-cm tall robot, which looks like a trash can and is reminiscent of the small, beeping robot in Star Wars, has a swivelling camera that protrudes like a periscope, enabling it to watch for suspicious changes in the landscape and send photos to a guard, Hitachi said on Tuesday.

The Japanese electronics maker has no commercial product plans so far but believes the roving robot, which can figure out the best route to a spot on its own, is better than the stationary cameras now common for security. The prototype, which has a laptop aboard with a wireless connection, still has plenty of hurdles to clear, such as prolonging battery life, company officials said. And it can't dodge obstacles or recognise things smaller than a Coke bottle.

The company did not display the product, saying it was being upgraded. Video clips showed the machine scuttling around an office like a vacuum cleaner. — AP

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