Delivering packages, shopping for groceries and even building a house — these are some of the skills new robots presented at the World Robot Summit in Tokyo.

From enormous construction workers to helpful personal shoppers, here are some of the latest breakthroughs in robotics.

CarriRo

CarriRo, shaped like a toy London bus with friendly “eyes” on its front, delivers packages by rolling around streets. It directs itself via GPS to addresses within a radius. The person receiving the package is sent a code to their smartphone which allows them to open up CarriRo and retrieve the items delivered to them. Services like this are especially needed in ageing Japan.

HRP-5P

As Tokyo prepares to welcome the world for the 2020 Olympics, there are construction sites all over the city but not always enough people to work them.

HRP-5P is a machine which looks like a brawny* builder, standing at almost 1.8 meters tall and weighing in at 101 kg. It is designed to carry out the same construction tasks that humans currently perform even when left to its own devices.

Human Support Robot

Toyota’s Human Support Robot stands at 1 meter tall and looks like a bin with arms, but provides much-needed support to the elderly and the less mobile. It can handle and maneuver a variety of objects and provides a key interface with the outside world via its Internet-connected screen.

Omron

Omron showcased a robot that can be programmed to glide around a supermarket and place various items into a basket. Some of the robots presented can even help stack shelves at the 55,000 convenience stores in Japan.

Robohon

Manufacturers were also promoting the latest in talking robots, which are becoming increasingly intelligent in their responses. Sharp’s Robohon, just 10 cm tall, recounts to tourists the history of the ancient imperial capital of Kyoto in English or Chinese.(SD-Agencies)