But this isn't simply an issue of a savvy government looking for smart solutions to automation but a symptom of a wider malaise. A recent World Bank report detailed that across East Asia, countries like Singapore, South Korea and Japan are heading towards a serious aging crisis. That's where an increasing proportion of the population is aged 65-or-over and requires extra medical care and support compared to their younger contemporaries.

People living longer, and having fewer kids, means that there's an issue around being able to hire enough people to perform essential jobs. Not to mention, of course, that the tax base will inevitably shrink, reducing the money that's available to pay them to do those jobs. That's why these nations are casting an eye towards robotics, with Japan leading the way in automated care for the elderly. Of course, if you've seen Robot and Frank, you'll know that using robots to help older people can only end one way: with a jewelry heist.