TONY GUTIERREZ/AP

Hanson Robotics’ Zeno is modeled and named after the son of company founder David Hanson.

A Richardson robotics firm is taking another step in bringing humanoid robots into your home.

Hanson Robotics Inc. is showcasing its Zeno robot at the Wired NextFest 2007 technology conference in Los Angeles this week.

The robot, named and modeled after company founder David Hanson's 18-month-old son, is a 17-inch, 6-pound machine that can talk and interact with its owner. Zeno can also connect to wireless networks to download new software and expand its functionality, and the robot is expected to go on sale in the next few years.

Making the robot move and talk realistically is only part of the challenge, though.

In an interview with The Dallas Morning News last year, Mr. Hanson said that overcoming the phenomenon known as the "uncanny valley" is a major concern.

The uncanny valley theory posits that humans will be comfortable with humanoid robots when they look obviously robotic, with metal skin and exposed gears and wires. But the more you try to make a robot look like a real human, the more any slight flaw makes the creature look ghoulish and people will reject it.

The uncanny valley problem isn't insurmountable, Mr. Hanson said, but good design – making the robot look pleasant as well as realistic – is critical.

"If you design it poorly, it's going to look freaky no matter how realistic you make it," he said.