August 6, 1998

Robots, already in widespread use in manufacturing and other commercial applications, are moving into everyday life; robot developers envision multibillion-dollar personal robotics industry, as recent advances in computer science, artificial intelligence and engineering couple with growing consumer acceptance of electronic gizmos; researchers see potential for personal robots that can perform one or more domestic tasks and help disabled people do simple chores; unlike hulking, mechanical tin cans in science fictions movies, tomorrow's personal robots are likely to be much smaller and look less like humans; small mobile robots, with whirring motors, flashing lights and occasional beeps, are beginning to appear in schools, toy stores, gift catalogues and even growing number of robot specialty shops; photos; chonology of 77-year history of robots (L)

Growing numbers of teachers are attending summer workshops to learn ways to introduce technology into their classrooms; American schools have been on 20-year spending spree on educational technology, with computers pouring into classrooms, but most of nation's education schools use traditional training courses and treat technology as frill; this means both new and experienced teachers need help with learning theories geared to computer use in classroom; summer computer workshops tend to appeal to teachers who get bored by routine and seek ways to excite their students and keep themselves from getting burned out; photo (M)

Market Place column on Sony Corp, which has been fined $1 million by Securities and Exchange Commission for misleading investors in months leading up to Nov 17, 1994, day Sony shocked Wall Street with announcement that it was writing off value of its movie studios, Columbia Pictures and Tri Star Pictures, by $2.7 billion because of their poor performances; commission also orders Sony to have independent auditors examine section of its annual report where management provides details of business results for investors; never has commission made such a request; without admitting or denying wrongdoing, Sony accepts commission's order to 'cease and desist' from such practices in future; if it is charged with misleading investors again, it will face much more severe penalties; SEC says Sony 'obscured' movie studio losses by combining them with profits from its music division under category 'entertainment' (M)

Nickel, chrome and stainless steel are becoming decorative metals of choice among developers; are replacing brass, widely publicized homes for years, as new money copies old; drawing; photo (M)

Iraq says it is ending all cooperation with United Nations arms inspectors and demands dismissal of chief inspector Richard Butler through restructuring of his disarmament commission; action breaks agreement made in Feb with Sec Gen Kofi Annan, which averted US and British military action against Iraq; independent international technical evaluation in July, one of number demanded by Iraq, concluded that Baghdad had not met commission's requirements on accounting for biological arms; Iraq also urges that disarmament panel be moved to Geneva or Vienna from New York to free itself of US influence (M)