Robots

It's said that the people are seeking better forms of relaxation and relief from the stress of working. The engineering department of Ibaraki University made some firefly robots. They even tested the robots effects on the public and the result was that people did indeed relax. Actually, many of them were surprised when they were told that the fireflies were not real.
The boom of aibo and the other pet robots is probably because people are looking for alternatives to their current life style. Particularly, they're looking for easy-to-be-around pets, but without the inconvenience in their small apartments of having to feed and take care of them.
I'm still scared of robots because they're not natural. Think about it: 20 years ago, robots couldn't walk by themselves, and now Honda has one that even walks naturally. Maybe we'll be able to
make an Astro Boy in the 21st century....?!