The company plans to start using Asimo's new receptionist functions at Honda offices early next year. The new robot is also available for lease for 20 million yen ($170,000) a year.
Is your concern the cost? Yes they are very expensive right now. But just look at it; there is no reason it should remain expensive once it starts into mass production. It is just a small piece of machinery. Wait until the Chinese start slapping them out en mass!
A few short years ago a DVD burner cost $5000 and wasn't really available to the public. Now they sell them at Walmart for $100. Two years ago I bought a DVD player for about $140. This year they are selling better ones for $39 and cheap ones for $19.
These robots will be cheap and will come with far fewer problems then third world laborers.
I think it was a German Chancellor lamenting their Turkish guest workers who said (probably in German), "We called for labor and we got human beings." With these things, when you call for labor you will get labor and a small electricity bill.