Visiting a new city for the first time, it's always nice to see a few familiar faces, and while Wired's NextFest was built upon a very clear mission statement of focusing on forward thinking technology, its not afraid to bring a few favorites.

The standout hit from last year's NextFest in Los Angeles was unquestionably that little yellow grooving robot, Keepon, who made an appearance on stage with Austin indie band, Spoon, prior to the show. Wired brought him back again this year, so the people of Chicago, Illinois could get a close up look.

Keepon, however, it's important to note, is far more than just a little yellow dancing robot. I spoke with a representative from Caregie Mellon University at the NextFest opening ceremony about Keepon's roots as a tool for autism therapy.

Check out the video, after the jump.