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Smelly feet? New robot dog sniffs them out

A Japanese robot mutt named Hana-chan will let you know if your feet smell by passing out after taking a whiff.

Bonnie Burton
Journalist Bonnie Burton writes about movies, TV shows, comics, science and robots. She is the author of the books Live or Die: Survival Hacks, Wizarding World: Movie Magic Amazing Artifacts, The Star Wars Craft Book, Girls Against Girls, Draw Star Wars, Planets in Peril and more! E-mail Bonnie.
Bonnie Burton

Foot odor can be embarrassing. But how do you know if your feet are slightly smelly or Hasmat-level awful? 

It's not likely you'll want to ask a co-worker, stranger or even loved one for an honest assessment of your feet's fumes. That's where the new Japanese robot dog Hana-chan can be of an assistance. 

The adorable robot from Next Technology has a built-in odor detection sensor in its nose that can tell whether your feet are fine or pungent. 

The mini mutt -- 6 inches long (about 15 centimeters) will bark if your toes are merely moderately smelly, but will fall over if your feet are rank.

The robot dog doesn't just notify you when your feet are too noxious for words, it also sprays air freshener on your toes to help fix the situation temporarily. 

A prototype of the feet-sniffing robot pooch can be found on the Next Technology website. 

Next Technology plans to sell the Hana-chan robot dog in early 2018, according to Japan Times, retailing for around ¥100,000 (approximately $900, £660 or AU$1,125), 

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