How human team mates got along with Lena, their new robot colleague

Working side by side with a robot may sound like an eerie experience. But team members soon began to appreciate Lena, a robot colleague designed for office work and tasked with helping to find an innovative product and apply for funding. Some say we are long past the question whether such office robots are feasible. The key point is how fast production can be ramped up to help counter shortages of skilled workers. — dpa

Working side by side with a robot may sound like an eerie experience. But team members soon began to appreciate Lena, a robot colleague designed for office work and tasked with helping to find an innovative product and apply for funding. Some say we are long past the question whether such office robots are feasible. The key point is how fast production can be ramped up to help counter shortages of skilled workers.

BERLIN: Lena sits relaxed in her office chair, smiles and occasionally blinks as she chats about her projects with other members of the team and comes up with ways to solve problems.