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Reports that sponsors are concerned about what will happen when robots interact with people every day at the six-month-long 2005 World Exposition in Aichi, Japan. Nanny robots will likely be mauled by an estimated 120 children a day; Possibility for human casualty; Japan sees household robots as a major next-generation market.

Focuses on the advances in robot performance and capabilities demonstrated at the International Robot Exhibition held in December 2003 in Tokyo, Japan. Ability of Sony's Qrio to combine conventional walking with running and jumping motions; Number of tasks that can be performed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology's HRP-2 humanoid-robot. INSET: Standards expand reach.

Reports on three Japanese companies' plan to form the Robot Service Initiative as part of an effort to build a larger market for robotic services. Fujitsu, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Sony's plan to use the initiative to create a common platform that will allow networked robots to be controlled by the same commands; Plans of the three companies to launch the initiative in May 2004.