Robot To Hitchhike Across Canada Alone

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

http://news.discovery.com/tech/robotics/robot-to-hitchhike-across-canada-alone-140616.htm

Starting next month, a robot named hitchBOT will attempt to hitchhike across Canada. Using speech recognition, speech processing, and social media, it will try to charm its way from one coast to the other.

Its journey will commence on July 27th, 2014 at the Institute for Applied Creativity at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). From there it will venture across Canada until it — hopefully — reaches Vancouver, British Columbia. That's a distance of 6,158 km (3,826 miles). Of course, that assumes a fairly direct route; depending on who pick it up, hitchBOT could go on a rather wild journey.

"Usually, we are concerned whether we can trust robots… but this project takes it the other way around and asks: can robots trust human beings?" noted Ryerson University's Frauke Zeller in a recent press release. "We expect hitchBOT to be charming and trustworthy enough in its conversation to secure rides through Canada." Zeller and his colleagues say it's part science experiment, part art project.

Other than its one hitchhiking arm, the device won't be capable of moving on its own. It will be completely dependent on others to move and transport it. Developer Harris Smith from McMaster University says it will look "like somebody has cobbled together odds and ends to make the robot, such as pool noodles, bucket, cake saver, garden gloves, Wellies, and so forth."

But hitchBOT won't be completely helpless. In addition to having speech recognition and processing capabilities, it will be able to pull information from a Wikipedia API to help it converse with people. And through 3G and wifi connectivity, hitchBOT will know its exact location and plan its journey.

The bot will also be somewhat self-preservational; hitchBOT will ask drivers to plug it into their car's cigarette lighter to charge its battery.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I wonder if it will be a humorless machine with a death ray, like Caba chicks

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I wonder if it will be a humorless machine with a death ray, like Caba chicks

If you want to wake up CEHST, get some new material.

[JohnR! 5,495]

It would be fair to presume this little fellow isn't going to get to the other side in a stright line. It will be interesting to learn where it goes and how his trip plays out...

What a cool experiment!

http://news.discovery.com/tech/robotics/robot-to-hitchhike-across-canada-alone-140616.htm

Starting next month, a robot named hitchBOT will attempt to hitchhike across Canada. Using speech recognition, speech processing, and social media, it will try to charm its way from one coast to the other.

Its journey will commence on July 27th, 2014 at the Institute for Applied Creativity at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). From there it will venture across Canada until it — hopefully — reaches Vancouver, British Columbia. That's a distance of 6,158 km (3,826 miles). Of course, that assumes a fairly direct route; depending on who pick it up, hitchBOT could go on a rather wild journey.

"Usually, we are concerned whether we can trust robots… but this project takes it the other way around and asks: can robots trust human beings?" noted Ryerson University's Frauke Zeller in a recent press release. "We expect hitchBOT to be charming and trustworthy enough in its conversation to secure rides through Canada." Zeller and his colleagues say it's part science experiment, part art project.

Other than its one hitchhiking arm, the device won't be capable of moving on its own. It will be completely dependent on others to move and transport it. Developer Harris Smith from McMaster University says it will look "like somebody has cobbled together odds and ends to make the robot, such as pool noodles, bucket, cake saver, garden gloves, Wellies, and so forth."

But hitchBOT won't be completely helpless. In addition to having speech recognition and processing capabilities, it will be able to pull information from a Wikipedia API to help it converse with people. And through 3G and wifi connectivity, hitchBOT will know its exact location and plan its journey.

The bot will also be somewhat self-preservational; hitchBOT will ask drivers to plug it into their car's cigarette lighter to charge its battery.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

Day 1: Hitch-bot released

Day 2: "Hey look at the cool robot someone put up on eBay!"

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

If you want to wake up CEHST, get some new material.

Woke you up didn't it bhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Day 1: Hitch-bot released

Day 2: "Hey look at the cool robot someone put up on eBay!"

ROFL

don't you know it. That thing would not last 10 seconds in the Hoods of Macon ga

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I want to find him and make him tell me something robot-y, like.... "More input!" or... "Need battery." or... "Okay, from now on, I will call you Sexy."

[JohnR! 5,495]

You're thinking of Johnny #5... Alive!!!! Johnny was cool!!!

I want to find him and make him tell me something robot-y, like.... "More input!" or... "Need battery." or... "Okay, from now on, I will call you Sexy."

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

ROFL

don't you know it. That thing would not last 10 seconds in the Hoods of Macon ga

Maybe that is how it really works.. Somebody finds it, put it on eBay, then it logs on using its wifi access and bids on itself using a location it wants to go and has itself mailed there..

The thing kinda sounds like Doctor Theopolis from Buck rogers.. Though he had twiggy to take him around.

Edited June 17, 2014 by OnMyWayID

[Darnell 8,478]

my contribution.

All Hail Nova Scotia ! All Hail !!!

Halifax residents might be shocked to learn the bot not be speaking Gaelic.

Wait - this is an experiment? Canada only has one road - I learned that on SouthPark! How is this hard?

Quebecois Hackers got to the bot on day 3 and replaced the chip so that the bot only speaks slutty and broken English...

Someone put a skirt on the bot and it grew bosoms overnight...

[Pooky 3,781]

The thing kinda sounds like Doctor Theopolis from Buck rogers.. Though he had twiggy to take him around.

I bet the robot would get further if it sounded like Twiki.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Japanese robots can walk circles around the rest.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Japanese robots can walk circles around the rest.

Yes, and do little else

[Darnell 8,478]

well - the hitch-botsexen cannot walk.

by design.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Yes, and do little else

Well , robots are designed to do what humans want them to do. But watch out for the takeover

But seriously I find robot technology fascinating.

My family once commented on the fact that one could tell that asminov had bee designed by the Japanese as only it's legs moved. ( if you get the chance try to observe how Japanese people walk, and you will get the joke)

Edited June 17, 2014 by Jacque67