Tomomasa Sato is served

Tomomasa Sato, a professor at Tokyo University, awaits his beverage. "A human being may be faster, but you'd have to say 'Thank you,'" Sato said, according to an Associated Press story. "That's the best part about a robot. You don't have to feel bad about asking it to do things."

And Japan does plan to ask robots to do a great many things in settings such as homes and hospitals. The machines are expected soon to be able to straighten up rooms (by 2008), make beds (by 2013), and lift and carry the infirm (by 2016).