Toyota"s robot is 120cm...

Toyota"s robot is 120cm tall and fitted with artificial lungs, allowing it to blow its own trumpet and play different notes. At a recent demonstration, the unnamed machine managed a simple tune and even swayed to the music before waving to the crowd and walking off.

Executives were keen to stress that they have big plans for the kind of technology being showcased in the new machine, but kept the total cost of the project under wraps. The intention is to use the artificial intelligence to improve the efficiency of Toyota"s car manufacturing plants, easing fears of a future labour shortage in Japan. But the firm"s robots are likely to become ever more versatile and help with other tasks, such as cleaning and shop-floor maintenance.

Don"t worry about Toyota"s humanoids taking over the world just yet, though - the aim of the experts behind the project is to have a full robotic orchestra by 2005.