Man Vs. Machine

Those ubiquitous greeters you find at the entrance to your local Wal-Mart may be a dying breed if a Japanese company has its way. "Ubiko," a robot-on-wheels with a catlike face, is being rented out as a temp-worker by a Japanese job-referral company to stores, events and even weddings.

The company reports that the 44-inch tall robot, which can be hired for two hours for about $890.00, has already landed a job selling cell phones at a store next month. While that may sound steep, consider that Japan's declining birth rate as left the country with a labor shortage, not to mention the fact that the little robot is exempt from labor laws.

Associated Press reports that a hospital has already bought three of $255,000.00 robots to serve as receptionists.