A handling robot system, including a table having a placement surface for placing articles; an article dispersing mechanism for dispersing the articles placed on the placement surface of the table across the placement surface; a vision sensor for detecting each of the articles dispersed on the placement surface of the table; and a robot operating, based on article detection data from the vision sensor, to hold the articles one by one. The article dispersing mechanism includes a partition member for producing a relative motion in relation to the table, the partition member being disposed in proximity to the placement surface with a gap defined therebetween, to divide a space adjoining the placement surface into a first region to which the articles are brought and a second region at which the robot operates to hold the articles transferred from the first region; and a drive control section for causing the relative motion between the table and the partition member in accordance with a program describing a mode of the relative motion. A certain number of articles are dispersed, as a result of the relative motion produced under the control of the drive control section, to permit the articles to pass through the gap on the placement surface, and are transferred from the first region to the second region.