Most still look pretty much like motorized mannequins or variations on the Johnny 5 theme, though. Even advanced humanoid bots like Honda's ASIMO would stand out as distinctly non-human in a police line-up. Such things certainly can't be said of the lifelike (some might even say positively creepy) creations of Osaka University professor Hiroshi Ishiguro. Two of his latest androids have now joined the staff of Tokyo's Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, and will act as announcer and science guide for visitors to a new permanent exhibition.

Dr. Ishiguro's previous works have included a robot clone of himself and a female android with the catchy name of Geminoid-F. His latest creations form part of a new permanent exhibit curated by the roboticist. The child-like Kodomoroid bot will take the role of announcer, while Otonaroid (designed to look like an adult human female) will act as science communicator.