Hitchhiking Robot Completes Its Journey
- 10 years ago
A hitchhiking robot has finally completed its journey across Canada, travelling over 35 hundred miles on nothing but the kindness of strangers.
A hitchhiking robot has finally completed its journey across Canada, travelling over 35 hundred miles on nothing but the kindness of strangers.
Named hitchBOT, the machine was built as part of an experiment to test out the relations between humans and robots.
It was constructed from a bucket, rubber gloves, pool noodles, and rain boots.
Developers also gave it a brain chock full of speech software and a GPS system.
They then spread the word that should a driver happen by the bot they pick it up and give it a ride.
Also mentioned was that it would be an entertaining companion, able to answer questions about its own making, offer some tidbits about its family, and chat about its personal history.
Some were so charmed by hitchBOT that they took it to events including a wedding and a traditional Powwow.
Along the way the robot posted about its travels on social media, which garnered it tens of thousands of fans and followers.
Said one of its creators, “Usually, we are concerned with whether we can trust robots. This project asks: can robots trust human beings?”
Well, at least in Canada, it turns out they can.
A hitchhiking robot has finally completed its journey across Canada, travelling over 35 hundred miles on nothing but the kindness of strangers.
Named hitchBOT, the machine was built as part of an experiment to test out the relations between humans and robots.
It was constructed from a bucket, rubber gloves, pool noodles, and rain boots.
Developers also gave it a brain chock full of speech software and a GPS system.
They then spread the word that should a driver happen by the bot they pick it up and give it a ride.
Also mentioned was that it would be an entertaining companion, able to answer questions about its own making, offer some tidbits about its family, and chat about its personal history.
Some were so charmed by hitchBOT that they took it to events including a wedding and a traditional Powwow.
Along the way the robot posted about its travels on social media, which garnered it tens of thousands of fans and followers.
Said one of its creators, “Usually, we are concerned with whether we can trust robots. This project asks: can robots trust human beings?”
Well, at least in Canada, it turns out they can.