“Real-world robots are regarded for the most part as benevolent and as a kind of symbol of an advanced, technologically savvy society. I think the Japanese have been more innovative in thinking about applications of robotics in everyday life, but the hype got in the way of reality,” said Jennifer Robertson, professor of anthropology and history of art, on Japan’s embracing of robots, but which often fail to meet the work standards of humans.

The New York Times