We also checked out Anthony Oh's super-cute recycled robots, which are so tiny they fit on the tip of your finger.

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While this technology still has a long way to go, challenges such as NASA's October 21 First Annual Space Elevator Competition at the Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley are spurring design teams to push the limits of both their robots and the super-strong, carbon nanotube-based ribbons that are key to supporting them.

ENGADGET: Space elevator robot reaches 1000 feet

In a second Super Bowl ad, Kia shows how intelligent robots are likely to react if you kick the tires (with cartoonish violence).

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Now assume that you have a digital map and a bunch of robots with a souped up version of TomTom inside that has a super smart algorithm to test as many roads as possible.

FORBES: Machiel van der Bijl On Automated Software Testing