Gear Oil Martini, Sir?

In Vienna right now they are holding an unconventional convention of sorts. It is a gathering of cocktail robots. Complete with robot bartender that makes passes at the women (and insults the men). And mixes and serves drinks. The event, dubbed Roboexotica has been held since 1999. And people come from all over the world with their cocktail robots to participate.

VIENNA (Reuters) - Staring with glowing red eyes at a young woman strolling by, bartender Chapok slowly extends his arm to offer her a gin and orange.

She takes the glass, murmurs a flustered "thank you" and walks away while the cocktail-mixing robot turns his attention back to a row of bottles.

"People are interacting, they are actually talking to my robot," smiles David Calkins, who teaches robotics at San Francisco State University.

"This is fantastic, exactly what I was hoping for."

Chapok is one of around 30 robots at Vienna's annual Roboexotica, which showcases how home-built machines deal with the modern pastime of hanging out in bars.

Robots were invited to demonstrate their skills in categories like mixing cocktails, serving drinks and snacks, bar conversation and smoking cigarettes and cigars.

Engineering as performance art, so to speak. These robots are not meant to really be practical, per se, they are meant to be "cultured and urbane" as Magnus Wurzer, one of the original organizers puts it. It actually sounds like a lot of fun. Practical impracticality. Here's an interesting little bit of video from the Roboexotica. And here is the website for the event.