HRP-2 humanoid robot learns to use obstacles to its advantage

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There may be plenty of robots out there able to avoid or overcome
obstacles, but we can't say we've seen too many that are actually able
to use obstacles to their advantage. That's the claim to fame of this
so-called HRP-2 robot built by researchers at Japan's National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, however,
which is able to detect objects around it and discern how they can be
used to help it with a specific task -- like leaning on a table to
help balance while kicking a ball, for instance. As New Scientist
points out, whether intentional or not, the end result is a robot that
behaves remarkably like an elderly person -- see for yourself in the
video after the break.