Robots using RFID may be a futuristic thing here in the United States, but in Japan you already can find a robot security guard that uses RFID. In fact, you can rent out the robot, named Robot X, for $2,700 a week.

Click over to this site, which is in Japanese, and you can see photos of Robot X, by the Secom corporation. There is even a short video showing Robot X cornering a couple of bad guys and throwing smoke at them. (Although...I think I could have outrun Robot X, but maybe bad guys don't run as fast, huh?)

ZDNet has the low-down on RFID robots, pointing out that most RFID robots either are future ideas or not very practical, or both. One practical application may be a robot designed to be used in warehouses to take inventory. And in a strange twist, Wal-Mart is denying that it is looking into robotics for inventory checking or any other use.

Tags: RFID; business: robot; Wal-Mart.