In addition to their fantastic planes, trains and automobiles, the Japanese brew some fine beer. Also, breaking news, the Japanese also know a thing or two about creating electronics, gadgets, robots, you name it. So when I saw this automatic beer-pouring machine I knew I had to write about it when I got back.

Now, I’ve never seen such a machine here in the U.S., one that’s fully automated. All you do is put the glass on there and it’s lifted up at an angle. The machine pours just the right amount of beer into the glass then lowers it again. Finally, the machine adds head to the glass. Or, as one Nikon official said, “The best thing about it is that it gives perfect head every time.”

Tremendous.