MADRID: Sporting a trendy brown bob, a humanoid robot named Erica chats to a man in front of stunned audience members in Madrid. She and others like her are a prime focus of robotic research, as their uncanny human form could be key to integrating such machines into our lives, said researchers gathered this week at the annual International Conference on Intelligent Robots. Can you please tell me more?" Erica, who is playing the role of an employer, asks the man. She may not understand the conversation, but she's been trained to detect key words and respond to them. A source of controversy due in part to fears for human employment, the presence of robots in our daily lives is nevertheless inevitable, engineers at the conference said. The trick to making them more palatable, they added, is to make them look and act more human so that we accept them into our lives more easily. In ageing societies, "robots will coexist with humans sooner or later", said Hiroko Kamide, a Japanese ...

Sharp's newest fridge freezer doesn't have a water fountain or a voice assistant. Instead it houses a vacuum-packing slot that will help keep produce fresh for longer, reduce food waste (leftovers!) and, yes, even prep food for that millennial cooking style of choice -- sous vide. The VacPac Pro fridge-freezer had its debut at IFA 2018, and doesn't require proprietary bags. You can use any sealer bag, and the slot will suck out the air at the touch of a button -- which we proceeded to do on some plastic fruit. The company believes the method can extend the longevity of meat and dairy by up to eight times, and a spokesperson confirmed that the sealed bags are ideal for sous vide-style preparation, ensuring perfect edge-to-edge cooking, retaining the juices, nutrients and other good things.

When Samsung launched the Galaxy Home speaker earlier this month, people were quick to point out how its name seemed ripped off from Google. Not to be outdone, Huawei is unveiling its own AI speaker here at IFA 2018, and it's clearly borrowed much more from the Google Home... just not the name. The AI Cube is a cylindrical speaker that looks like a stretched out version of Google's device, though it will offer Amazon's Alexa instead of Assistant. Like Samsung, Huawei is promising high-quality audio on its speaker. That's not all -- the AI Cube is also a 4G router.

Taking place in German capital Berlin from Friday for a six-day run, IFA 2018 will serve as a place for world-leading tech giants -- around 1,800 exhibitors -- to boast their latest technology highlights ranging from intelligent and interconnected home appliances, artificial intelligence and TVs featuring even better picture quality. Korea's two largest electronics manufacturers Samsung and LG are gearing up for presentations of their visions for smart living with AI and connected devices. On the opening day of the event, LG Electronics CEO & Vice Chairman Jo Seong-jin will deliver a keynote speech for the first time, titled "Think Wise, Be Free: Living Freer with AI," which will offer his insight into how the Korean company's AI strategy can change customers' lives. Other keynote speakers include Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business group, who will talk about AI on mobile devices, and Daniel Rausch, vice president of smart home division at Amazon, about how voice is expanding and improving everyday experiences. At its exhibition venue, LG will be showcasing the newest development of AI-powered robots, including its first wearable robot CLOi SuitBot, which the company aggressively has sought for its next growth engine.

Of all the annual meetings of tech-obsessed minds, IFA is perhaps the most unpredictable. You know everyone and their mother is going to CES to set the tone for the year, and MWC is all things mobile. At IFA, though, you never quite know what surprises lurk behind the floor-to-ceiling displays of kitchen appliances that dominate the halls of the sprawling Messe Berlin conference center. History and rumors give us some idea, however. Naturally, we'll be on the ground to bring you all the important news, but these are some of things we expect to see announced at this year's show.

Segway-Ninebot claimed it has found the next'big trend' - electric roller skates. The tech company unveiled the Segway Drift W1 - a pair of e-skates that use the signature balancing technology that they have been known for since the release of the Segway Human Transporter in 2002. The skates are black and white and advertised as'easy to carry, lightweight and small' - although the firm has not yet said how much they will cost. Segway plans to formally reveal the new product during the IFA 2018 tech show in Berlin on August 30. For now, the company has posted a lifestyle page on its site along with a video of the skates in action.

Artificial Intelligence will be high up the agenda at IFA in September.