VPRO backlight looks at the current state of androids in Japan, including an interesting segment on geminoids, or robot twins made in the likeness of a human counterpart:
They also note the cultural differences that have allowed the android market to flourish in Japan.
There’s a robot gap between the West and Japan. In the West, robots are considered a threat. They rob us of our jobs and eventually want to eradicate humanity. But in Japan, robots are heroes, and they’re becoming more and more like human beings.
• The Human Robot (via Botsee)