Humans have long wondered whether robots can be trusted, but what about the flip side of that question? Hitchbot, a project developed by researchers from McMaster and Ryerson universities, will examine how strangers interact with a bucket-shaped robot as it bums rides across Canada. With a pair of Wellington boots on its feet and pool noodles for arms, Hitchbot will be hitting the road in Halifax on July 27th.
If someone gives Hitchbot a lift, it will be able to communicate that it's heading to Victoria, British Columbia, thanks to speech recognition and chatbot capabilities. It might even ask to be plugged into a car's cigarette lighter for charging, or pass the time by sharing some of the knowledge it's gleaned from Wikipedia. The robot will be active on social media throughout the journey too, with Facebook and Instagram accounts already up and running.Spec-wise, the researchers kept their bot pretty simple, with audio, video, GPS and 3G. The bot's torso and hat will also be wrapped in solar panels for charging. What the machine can't do is move on its own -- it will rely on helpful strangers for that. And while the little guy seems pretty darn amusing, there's nothing preventing anyone from dismantling or otherwise harming Hitchbot. As stated in the bot's first journal entry: "My journey's success is reliant on those kind-hearted souls that I'll hopefully meet along the way." Steering clear of moose would be good, too. 0 CommentsVia: CNet
Source: Hitchbot
More Coverage: The Atlantic
Tags: canada, hitchbot, hitchhiking, robot Next: Obama administration making the case for immigration reform with Nobel-winning STEM leaders .fyre .fyre-comment-divider > span.fyre-comment-reply-wrapper {top: 18px;}.fyre .fyre-comment-divider > a, .fyre .fyre-comment-divider > a:hover {top: 20px;} ✖AboutAbout EngadgetContact usAdvertiseAbout Our AdsCommunityForumsEngadget MetaCommunity guidelinesReviewsProduct reviewsWrite a reviewContributeSend us a tip!Add to our databaseWrite a reviewStart a discussionAsk a questionLive eventsEngadget ExpandEngadget LivePopular topicsMobileHDAltSoftwareAppleFollow EngadgetEngadget AppsMore Apps from Engadget Subscribe to Engadget NewsletterTop categoriescellphoneslaptops / portablestabletsheadphonescamerasroutershdtvs / televisionsportable media playersfitness devicese-book readersdigital media playersMobileCellphonesTabletsBluetooth HeadsetsGPSPhotographyCamerasCamera LensesCamcordersDigital Photo FramesGamingConsoles (home)Consoles (portable)Controllers / GamepadsJoysticks / Flight / RacingComputersLaptops/PortablesDesktopsOperating SystemsPeripheralsKeyboardsMiceMonitorsComputer SpeakersHeadsetsPrintersScannersPen TabletsUSB / Firewire HubsWebcamsPersonal TechHeadphonesPortable Media PlayersE-book ReadersFitnessMiscellaneous DevicesNetworkingRoutersSwitches / HubsStorageExternal Hard DrivesFlash DrivesMemory CardsNetwork StorageRAID / Drive ArraysHome TheaterHDTVs / TelevisionsSpeaker DocksDigital Media PlayersRemotes / ControllersA/V ReceiversDVRsSpeakersVideo Disc Players Engadget International EditionsEspañol繁體中文简体中文日本版DeutschlandAOL Tech.© 2014 AOL Inc.
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