Pirkus-R Type-01 DX robot

Robots will probably be a staple gift during holiday seasons in the coming years, and the Pirkus-R Type-01 DX from Robot Labs of Japan is certainly one gift idea to consider if you have deep pockets. Retailing for a whopping £1,090, this robot kit was recently improved with updated actuators and gyro sensors to further augment his already-impressive bipedal walking ability. Standing over 30cm tall, the Pirkus can be controlled from a computer or, get this – a cellphone via Bluetooth. Not all cellphones can be used as a remote control though, just those which are capable of running BREW-based communications software. The Pirkus is smart enough to ‘remember’ faces and can even seek out a selected person thanks to its face recognition ability.