'Come quietly or there will be ... trouble'

Did Omni Consumer Products and ED-209 teach us nothing?

Apparently not, because Reuters reports that Japan's OCP Sohgo Security Services Co. has unveiled "Guardrobo D1," a robot programmed to patrol offices, malls and banks to monitor for signs of trouble.

Equipped with a camera and sensors, the robot travels predetermined paths, alerting human guards if it detects intruders, fires or water leaks.

In a statement, Sohgo said Guardrobo will help with security staffing as Japan's population ages.

"In the near future, it is certain that securing young and capable manpower will become even more difficult ... and the security industry will feel the full brunt of the impact," the company's statement said.

Get Frank Miller on the phone. I think we're ready for another cautionary tale, in the form of RoboCop 4!