The machines were specially programmed to speak lines with human actors and move around the stage.Playwright Oriza Hirata says the work raises questions about the relationship between humanity and technology. The play, called Hataraku Watashi (I, Worker), is set in the near future and had its premiere at Osaka University.

It focuses on a young couple who own two housekeeping robots, one of which loses its motivation to work. In the play, the robot complains that it has been forced into boring and demeaning jobs and enters into a discussion with the humans about its role in their lives.

So far, the play is only 20 minutes long but it is hoped to become a full-length production by 2010. The Wakamaru robot is manufactured by Mitsubishi but the software to train it for the stage was developed over two months at the university.

The lack of emotional responses was originally thought to be a problem until someone pointed out that Keanu Reeves has managed without any.

Chan-Bot was a surprising success.

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