A Happy Little Robot and the Kindness of Strangers

[Solaris]

In New York, we are very occupied with getting from one place to another. I wondered: could a human-like object traverse sidewalks and streets along with us, and in so doing, create a narrative about our relationship to space and our willingness to interact with what we find in it? More importantly, how could our actions be seen within a larger context of human connection that emerges from the complexity of the city itself? To answer these questions, I built robots.

Tweenbots are human-dependent robots that navigate the city with the help of pedestrians they encounter. Rolling at a constant speed, in a straight line, Tweenbots have a destination displayed on a flag, and rely on people they meet to read this flag and to aim them in the right direction to reach their goal.

Tweenbots!

What a happy little robot face that is.

 

[Barnz]

hey I remember that little guy from flickr

 

[Raziaar]

Every time the robot got caught under a park bench, ground futilely against a curb, or became trapped in a pothole,

This line makes me so happy and so sad at the same time. I imagine this cute, smiling little robot smiling away as he continues to grind face first against a curb... waiting, hoping for somebody to set him back on the right path.

 

[Darkside55]

D'awwwwww, it's so cute. And it's nice to see that people in a bustling city like New York take time out to help point the bots in the right direction.

 

[Warped]

i think its cool and like in the other thread, regarding Singularity, is just a step towards us mutually connected with technology and AI

 

[arch5]

Next Generation of Driveby Mailbox Smashing

Now, it's robot smashing.

 

[Stigmata]

I wonder what would happen if the robots had destinations like "Off a bridge" or "garbage compactor". Would people help the little robots in their quests for death?

 

[Warped]

people have risked their lives for their robots before. haven't you've seen Terminator 2??

 

[Operational]

When the robot uprising comes falling for cute faces will be humanities downfall.

 

[Warped]

When the robot uprising comes falling for cute faces will be humanities downfall.

we'll burn that bridge when we need to

 

[PJ]

Damn I want one.

I wish they had them in every town centre, that'd be cool. The problem is people would get bored of them very quickly. D: They'd be all loneleh

 

[Raziaar]

Damn I want one.

I wish they had them in every town centre, that'd be cool. The problem is people would get bored of them very quickly. D: They'd be all loneleh

They would find themselves grinding against a dumpster somewhere, an eternal happy face spread upon its frame. This would be its final resting place, where it runs out of batteries and remains motionless until city workers arrive to remove the trash. Seeing it, they will of course toss it into the compactor.

 

[YROC]

It'd be funny if some asshole just picked it up and tossed it over a bridge.

 

[PJ]

They would find themselves grinding against a dumpster somewhere, an eternal happy face spread upon its frame. This would be its final resting place, where it runs out of batteries and remains motionless until city workers arrive to remove the trash. Seeing it, they will of course toss it into the compactor.

I couldn't bear the sight D':

It'd be funny if some asshole just picked it up and tossed it over a bridge.

You are an evil, evil man.

JUST LOOK AT ITS FACE! SO HAPPEH : )