Some robot-loving people have been tinkering with screwdrivers and motors instead of heading to the beach or hot springs this Golden Week.
Among the robots on display Monday at Vstone Robot Center in the bustling Akihabara electronics district in Tokyo was the 1.3-meter-tall Alcnon? — a play on the Japanese for "Can it walk?" The machine shuffled about, controlled by a remote handheld device, and made jerky punches with its clawlike plastic arms.
The shop, run by robot-maker Vstone Co., also offers maintenance advice for robot owners and runs robot-building workshops for children.