New Japanese robot dog sniffs out smelly feet

Do your feet smell bad? If you don't dare to ask a friend, one Japanese startup might have the answer with a new robot dog that will sniff your feet and give you a pitilessly honest verdict -- even fainting if the stink is especially strong. Malodorous feet can be socially awkward in Japan where shoes are removed at the entrance to every home. Hana-chan -- a play on hana (nose) and a common girl's nickname -- is a helpful little robot mutt that will bark if she detects moderately stinky toes, but will keel over if they are particularly pungent. The 15-cm robot, equipped with an odor detection sensor for a nose, also sprays air freshener to resolve the situation if the aroma is unbearable. Manufacturers Next Technology created the robot in response to a request from a man who was desperate to know if he had a problem.