Everybody wants to own the dancing robot

LONDON,UK: A robot toy, which giggles when tickled and which was originally designed to help autistic kids learn to interact, is now selling like hot cakes both in in America and Britain ahead of Christmas.

The bright yellow robot toy -- named "My Keepon" -- keeps perfect time to any style of music, The Sun said. It reacts and picks up any music beat.

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It is manufactured by Wow! Stuff in Britain's Wolverhampton city.

The robot toy became an internet phenomenon after almost three million people viewed a video of it dancing to a rock music track.

Ahead of Christmas, stocks have sold out and sellers are offering the 40 pound (around $63) toy online for five times the normal price.

Richard North, the firm's managing director, said: "It seems this little yellow robot has won the hearts and minds of parents. It reacts and picks up the beat when you play music. Even if you click your fingers it will move in time with them. It's addictive."

Toy expert Peter Jenkinson from toyology.co.uk said: "This is about the smartest interactive toy on the market this year."

Manufacturers Wow! Stuff is donating part of the profits from every sale to therapists investigating the use of robots to help autistic children.