It is said that dog is man’s best friend. But in an era of ageing populations, many of our elderly citizens find themselves unable to take proper care of their companion – whether it be for the regular walks, the investment associated with medical care and food, or for that matter the work associated with cleaning up after an animal.

To address this problem, Bayer unveiled man’s new best friend at this year’s Chinaplas: Meet “Nao”, a versatile small robot with a polycarbonate skin, whose job it is to lend a hand where humans fail. He may not (yet) have the puppy dog eyes or the soul we value so much in our pets, but he is low-maintenance, can pick up both after his owner and himself and will not bite the mailman either.