Humanoid robots are becoming more and more advanced, but most of the time, that just makes them creepier. The uncanny valley gives us the impression that technology is encroaching on what it means to be human. But a robot doesn't have to be humanoid, or canine, or resemble any living thing to be expressive. Pixar made that clear back in 1986. In fact, it was Luxo, Jr., also known as the Pixar lamp, that inspired the robot called ELEGNT, developed by a group of Apple roboticists.
ELEGNT is a functional lamp, but it also demonstrates personality. It is curious, eager to help, and can demonstrate a sense of fun and even affection sometimes. A video at the robot's site shows us how it "looks" at its user, follows instructions by both words and gestures, and even makes suggestions. It's adorable, just as you'd expect a real-life Luxo, Jr. to be. But is this what we want in a robot? At first you think "take my money!" but then you have to consider the implications of a lamp telling you what to do, or trying to be your friend, no matter how cute it is. You can read both sides of that story in the comments at Metafilter.
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