It is all working rather too well. Perhaps disturbingly for workforces around the world, say representatives of several of the largest robot makers, there is now a fast-growing list of human jobs that robots can do quicker and better. The opening of the four-day show yesterday brought the debut of Kawada Industries’ new Hiro robot — a humanoid that can identify colours, shapes and human faces and boasts some of the most dextrous mechanical paws created.

Hiro’s handler explained that “at the Nissan factory, the production line already consists almost entirely of robots. However, occasionally, for certain tasks, they have to bring in a human. This robot could replace that person.”