WHEN it comes to robot animals, most -people would associate them with cute and cuddly companions.

Examples include Paro, the therapeutic seal robot introduced in 1993, and Aibo, a robotic dog launched in 1999 that could walk, bark and respond to human interaction.

In recent years, robot animals have evolved beyond companionship and playtime, taking on more practical roles such as providing security, carrying heavy equipment and even helping ward off bears.

Howling success Last month, it was reported that Japanese company Ohta Seiki is struggling to meet the production demand for its -animatronic scarecrow Monster Wolf.

Customers including farmers and golf course operators are turning to the wolf robots with flashing red LED eyes to ward off wild animals, particularly bears.

Japan is facing a record year of fatal bear attacks where 13 have been killed.

AFP cited company president Yuji Ohta saying the robots are made by hand and customers have to wait up to three months to receive their order.

Priced from US$4,000 (RM15,716), the Monster Wolf is made from a pipe frame covered with artificial fur.

It has a rotating head with sensors, solar -panels and speakers that could broadcast more than 50 types of sounds.

A video by USA Today showed that the robot emits sounds resembling sirens and gunshots.

In the future, the Monster Wolf may also be able to chase animals or patrol designated areas, as its maker plans to equip it with wheels.

Horsing around For the Year of the Horse, China’s Deep Robotics unveiled a 0.5m tall, 30kg robot horse with a payload capacity of up to 50kg.

According to website Interesting Engineering, the robot is built with bionic legs and hoof-like feet which is meant to replicate the natural movements of a horse.

It is also equipped with 96-line Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) and advanced SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) technology, giving it 360° situational awareness and the ability to autonomously detect and avoid obstacles.

Hot-swappable batteries allow the robot to operate for up to three hours on a single....