Japan's penchant for robots is coming to the aid of allergy sufferers. Weathernews Inc has created 12-inch spherical robots with eyes that flash colors to alert of the presence of cedar or cypress pollen.

The eyes flash white, green, blue, purple or red depending on pollen concentration.

Volunteers will hang the 200 robots outside their home. The data collected will be transmitted to Weathernews to compile an online pollen map for Japanese afflicted with springtime allergies.