Subscriber content previewUnlike sleek and powerful-looking machines from companies like Tesla, Sprout is designed to be approachable and friendly. By MATT O'BRIENAP Technology WriterAP Photo/Seth Wenig [enlarge] The robot’s design draws inspiration from beloved science fiction characters like WALL-E, Baymax and R2-D2. NEW YORK — As the new robot called Sprout walks around a Manhattan office, nodding its rectangular head, lifting its windshield wiper-like “eyebrows” and offering to shake your hand with its grippers, it looks nothing like the sleek and intimidating humanoids built by companies like Tesla.