At left, the finishing touches are applied to the five-years-in-the-making project of a small group of engineers, designers and, programmers at Hanson Robotics in Richardson, Texas: a 17-inch-high, six-pound robotic boy that essentially looks like a Japanese animé version of a primordial dwarf with pretensions to Chuckie. They call him Zeno. David Hanson, the mastermind behind Zeno, also has a real-boy son named Zeno. Jiminy Cricket, now we're frightened! Aren't you? Just a little? Or do you want one? (My Way; photos: AP/Tony Gutierrez)