[imr_]

I do not think this would be a good idea. Firstly because of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley Secondly because if we will see robots as livin beings (either consciously or subconsciously), we will associate emotions with their existance. I fail to see any benefits that can come from this. Just imagine movements spawning all over the world that will fight for robots freedom and rights to vote.

[axefrog]

Uncanny Valley doesn't apply. It would apply if they put a skin-and-fur-like shell over the body and tried to give it a life-like head, with eyes, nose, mouth and tongue, and it looked almost perfect, but not quite good enough to pass as the real thing; just enough to make it seem off the mark somehow. A white plastic shell hardly comes close; it would just provide a more attractive veneer.

[TeMPOraL]

I'm pretty sure that putting a white plastic shell over those robots will make them less uncanny - by the very virtue of looking like crap. Seriously, all those "androids" that are fashionable now, made of white plastic and with weird faces, look just ugly. I'm unable to connect emotionally to them the way I easily can with Big Dog of Spot.

[Cthulhu_]

TBF if they can make better choices than humans, I wouldn't be that bothered if they could vote, :p.