Mitsubishi has created a three-foot, wheeled robot nurse and house-sitter running on Linux.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the robot links to the internet and can send its camera images to mobile phones and computers away from the home. It also features facial and voice recognition software.

The £6,000 machine can be programmed to send email if it hears a big noise or sees anything unusual in the home, Mitsubishi said.

Slightly more irritatingly, the machine can also ask questions such as: "You're home late. What have you been up to?"

The robot is to be sold as a companion, particularly for old people or those in frail health. It is designed to spot when owners may be suffering from the side effects of medication.