Creepy meets cool in humanoid robots at CES tech show

Las Vegas (AFP) - A lifelike, child-size doll writhed and cried before slightly shocked onlookers snapping smartphone pictures Wednesday at the CES tech show -- where the line between cool and slightly disturbing robots can be thin. "Oh!The eyes are very scary," said Marcelo Humerez, an exhibitor from Peru who happened upon the Pedia-Roid, which is designed for medical training, as its eyes went white. But just a few stands away, a humanoid named Ameca got a decidedly different reception, as it chatted with a curious crowd that marveled at its ability to make a range of stunningly person-like gestures. "Whoa, robot!I didn't expect that when I turned the corner," said Ricky Rivera, an exhibitor with Canada-based tech company Geotab."But it looks amazing and it tracked me right away." Both reactions were, in some ways, exactly what the makers had been aiming for.