Try to keep in shape? Get yourself a Autom robot coach

For those pledging to lose weight in the new year, perhaps after eating too much at Christmas, one Hong Kong company may be able to help.

Autom, a socially interactive robot developed by Intuitive Automata, is programmed to adjust to individual needs. Losing weight is an uphill struggle for most people. The biggest catch to maintaining a diet is staying motivated.

Cory Kidd, Autom inventor, said, "So the way that it works is that she's trying to keep someone engaged, and motivated, to stick with their diet for a longer period of time. The average diet is very short. The big challenge for people is sticking with it for months, or years, or making really long-term changes. And the best way to do that, as we know, is to have a personal trainer, personal coach, a doctor, a dietician, a nutritionist, that I can talk to every day."

The Autom is being readied to be shipped out sometime next year.