The Japanese are very much in love with their little singing, dancing and supportive robot companions. But they're not overlooking the more serious aspect of owning a robot, so they extended its job description in order to include guard duties.

Roborior (coming from combining the terms "Robot" and "Interior") is, or at least was, a gadget whose main purpose was to look good and bring some joy to a room. However, because it is fitted with a digital camera, infrared sensors and the possibility of initiating videoconferences, Roborior has been programmed to alert its masters if an intruder is detected within the residence.

Tmsuk Co. Ltd. developed this robot by working with Sanyo Electric, thus allowing for a video stream containing the images from the digital video camera to be sent to the owner's cell phone.

The robot can be remote controlled by using a handset, such that it will move forward, backward, and sideways. The buttons can also set the angle at which the robot's digital camera captures images.

By activating the "house-sitting" mode, the robot is set to call its master as soon as it detects an intruder by means of its infrared cameras, which can monitor the space around the robot at 360 degrees.

The robot will be available in Japan starting with November, and it is yet unknown whether the robot will be manufactured for distribution outside the Japanese islands. The price established for the digital bodyguard is of 3,200 USD.