"Robots will become the Ford Model T of the 21st century," says Japanese scientist Hirohisa Hirukawa.

If the car that put America on wheels is any guide, robots will have a revolutionary effect on people's everyday lives. They have already transformed manufacturing industries around the world through the speed and reliability of industrial robots. Will humanoid machines soon be serving drinks around the home? Reality tends to eventually catch up to science fiction, and many Japanese can't wait to have their own artificial friends.

A major robot exhibition that opened Tuesday at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo's Ueno Park presents that dream as a sweeping historical progression going back centuries. "The Great Robot Exhibition: Karakuri, Anime and the Latest Robots" brings together dozens of robots, toys, artifacts and demonstrations in what is Japan's biggest 'bot extravaganza since a hit droid-fest that was held at the 2005 Aichi Expo. The show is a compelling illustration of how robots are both science and fiction and how Japan's approach to robotics is heavily influenced by fantasy.