Baby got back: Researchers used a custom-built robot (wheeled and padded with foam) with eight toddlers to assess the kiddos’ physical activity. When the kids got close, the robot rewarded them with sounds, lights and bubbles. No surprise, the two- and three-year-olds moved around way more while playing with the robots than with a regular toy. Toddlers getting robots for Christmas is just a year away, unfortunately.