Welcome to Roboexotica, an annual event displaying advances in robots technology. If you want a robot to explore space, vacuum your floor or play with your children, you’re in the wrong place.

No, all the robots here are made to hang out in bars - mixing cocktails, serving snacks and, believe it or not, carrying on bar conversation. Somewhere around here is a metal guy programmed to say, “So, your wife doesn’t understand you?” in 72 languages…. Here’s the story by Karin Strohecker, and a video report by Joanna Partridge:

Artist Robert Martin of Germany adjusts some bottles on his “Robomoji”, one of around 30 robots at Vienna’s annual Roboexotica, December 7, 2006, which showcases how home-built machines deal with the modern pastime of hanging out in bars. REUTERS/Herwig Prammer