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The hit movie Robots posits a world completely inhabited by machines, although not the malevolent kind in the Terminator or Matrix series. As fancy, the film has proved incredibly popular in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. But as these examples show, real robots are entering our lives in some surprising spheres.

Did I Leave The TV On?
Japanese robot technology is often more spectacle than utility, but the anthropomorphic Nuvo is bridging that gap. By day, the 38-cm robot keeps an eye on the house with a digital camera that transmits images to its owner's mobile phone. It's kind of a webcam on legs—but, oh, what legs! Nuvo dances and plays music at a mere voice command.
Price: $5,500-$8,335 each

Down the Stretch
In the Middle East, thousands of boys from South Asia toil as jockeys in camel races, and their lives are woeful. Following government-imposed bans on jockeys under 16 in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, at least 20 experimental robots will take over the reins this fall. Kamel, a Swiss-built, lightweight, remote-controlled jockey, uses gestures similar to those of a human jockey, even whipping.
Price: $5,500 each

Tougher Than Tough
On the scarier side of robot technology are real-life battle-bots. Armed with an assault rifle and equipped with temperature and image sensors that detect and track targets, these machines can either shoot automatically or be controlled remotely. Two such robots are being used by South Korea and the U.S. in Iraq. Seoul plans to deploy such bots on its 250-km border with North Korea by 2011.
Price: $79,000 each

• Charles Gillig
• From the Emirates to the Korean DMZ, robots are showing up in some surprising places