Nobuyuki Idei, CEO of Sony, gave the first North American demonstration of the humanoid robot Qrio as part of a speech he delivered to the Japan Society of Northern California. He also looked beyond gadgetry to the broader context of Japan’s changing economic and cultural status. News.com reports that Qrio–a toddler-sized machine in an aluminum sleeper and a space helmet–can navigate an obstacle course, right itself after a fall, sense heat and surfaces, recognize people through their voice or face, and respond with gestures or words to questions.