TOPIO--Pingpong playing robot

Look at this picture.Does it look like a poster of a science fiction which talks about a professional ping-pong robot player.In fact, there is a robot named TOPIO in the real world.It is a bipedal humanoid robot designed to play table tennis against a human being. It has been developed since 2005 by TOSY, a robotics firm in Vietnam. It was publicly demonstrated at the Tokyo International Robot Exhibition (IREX) on November 28, 2007.[1] TOPIO 3.0 (the latest version of TOPIO) stands approximately 1.88 m tall and weighs 120 kg.[2] Every TOPIO uses an advanced artificial intelligence system to learn and continuously improve its skill level while playing.
Recently,TOPIO2.0 came to the 60th Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair.Apart from TOPIO 2.0, TOSY will present at the fair some other robots and hi-tech toys, including TOPIO tiny – a miniature 40-cm version of TOPIO 2.0.
There are TOSY TyreROBO, the world’s first tyre-shaped robot, and TOSY BallROBO, a ball-shaped robot as gifts used in the World Cup 2010. Both of these robots can run forwards and backwards, turn left and right, and climb up the slopes in different environments (sand, snow, water and grass).
A hi-tech favorite toy for Vietnamese children, TOSY UFO Returning, the latest boomerang
Attending the largest toy fair in the world, TOSY will also bring dancing Tiny TOPIO, the mini version of TOPIO2.0 and two robots that can run forward and backwards, climb, and move o­n snowy, grassy and sandy terrain. The last o­ne is Tosy UFO Returning, a modern boomerang which can fly forward and return precisely, as well as shines brightly at night.
These products are registered for pattern and brand protection in major markets like the US, Europe, Japan, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and India.

reference:http://topio.tosy.com/news2.shtml