Runway Robots Invade Japan

She doesn't have the grace of a Cindy Crawford or Elle MacPherson. The walking, talking girlbot will be getting practice soon, as she's set to make her catwalk debut at a Tokyo fashion show next week.

No, not Katie Holmes [left]. She was getting a $43,000 robot overhaul, to erase effects resulting from a Scientology Purification Rundown, before hubby's Japanese premiere of Valkyrie.

Scientists from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology reportedly designed the 5-foot (ish), dark-haired creation [right] to look like an average Japanese woman between the ages of 19 and 29. Unlike the average Japanese woman, however, HRP-4C has 30 motors in her body that allow her to walk and move its arms and 8 facial motors for blinking, smiling, and expressing emotions akin to anger and surprise.

According to the Associated Press, the robotic framework for the HRP-4C, sans face and other coverings, will sell for about $200,000.

Well, Tom will only get 4.6 makeovers for his robot before matching the same sum. But seeing as Katie's extensive renovations only last a day, Tom may want to trade-up before his old model starts to nickel & dime him to death.

The government-backed AIST says she's mostly being developed for the entertainment industry. Hey Tom, you used to be in that line of work, weren't you?