MSNBC / Newsweek has an article about Japan’s Love Affair With Androids and goes on to describe some of the humanoid robots that you can find in Japan.

[I]t turns out that simple human behaviors—holding a conversation; looking someone in the eye; navigating a cramped apartment—is exceptionally hard for machines. Creating a believable android is still well beyond the reach of today’s scientists. But that doesn’t mean Japan has stopped trying.

Well worth a read.