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A pill-popping, CD-playing, lid-twisting, pucker-lipped robot could one day be looking after elderly people. In development at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Flo the robot nurse will remind people when to take their medicines and regularly check their vital signs—e-mailing the data to a doctor. Flo will also help a carer communicate remotely with their patient via a TV link, using a screen positioned just beneath the robot’s head (see www.cs.cmu.edu/~nursebot/). It will eventually be able to open jars, drugs bottles and doors to help patients suffering from arthritis.