Robots in the frame.

The importance of framing, or inviting comparison to a similar product, for new technologies is well recognised and is probably best illustrated by Sony's robot dog, AIBO. Sony and other companies, such as Honda, have for more than 10 years been investing in research into useful household robots, but while both have developed prototypes, the simplest household chores are beyond the robots' capabilities.

Consequently, Honda has not released its over 1 metre high "humanlike" ASIMO robot, because it will not live up to the expectations of consumers in terms of being useful. These expectations are based on Honda's pronouncements about usefulness and the fact that the …