The anime robot Tetsuwan Atom or Astro Boy was born on April 7, 2003 and Japan is celebrating in style today with the reenactment of his birth. This past weekend, Robodex 2003 conference displayed the current state of robot technology with mobile phone controlled robots, a £500,000 AstroBoy doll clad in jewels and the Honda Asimo humanoid. More on Japanese cultural attitudes to robots in the Japan Times and Daily Yomiuri. Link