WowWee's next major robot innovation - jointly developed with Philips - doesn't walk, roll, make disgusting noises or dance. But SCOTY (for Smart Companion Operating Technology) will let you control your digital media via voice commands. It greets you, reads your e-mail aloud, watches your home, and even plays your music.

It does not look like any other robot. SCOTY is roughtly two feet tall and consists of a frame with six illuminated rectangular panels affixed to it. The two uppermost light panels acts as the "head" with an integrated camera watching you and your room.

SCOTY has little intelligence, instead it relies largely on software installed on a connected PC. The software provides facial recognition, text-to-speech and media management. SCOTY can also serve as a remoter babysitter and surveillance unit. It can scan a room and detect human faces and then notify you via e-mail that someone is in the room. WowWee is still tweaking the design and is estimating the price at around $399, with a projected delivery date of late 2006.

More details on the PCMAG Site.