Long gone are the days when the looming threat of murder did nothing to deter the wanderlust imbued in those wishing to travel coast-to-coast. Those that successfully completed their journeys did so on the backs of the kindness of strangers on the open road. Leave it to robots to take back what has been lost through generations of human apathy–and much worse–the deterioration of the trust in strangers due to an increasing lack of moral fortitude. The adorable warmhearted hitchBOT is making his way to a town near you on his long journey across the United States.
Who exactly is HitchBOT?
A pint sized robot with a big heart and an aptitude for adventure, HitchBOT was designed to be easily transported as he completes his world traveling agenda. HitchBOT has already made his way across Canada on a 26 day journey, during which 19 rides total took him across the country.
Now, it has its sights set a little further south. Coming to the U.S. will be the robots most ambitious adventure so far, but certainly not his last.
HitchBOT also enjoys having conversations according to his website–just not too many because it can become overwhelmed. Says HitchBOT: “Please be patient – speaking Human is rather difficult for me, and I only recently learned it. So when it is quite noisy around me, or too many people talking to me, my brain hurts and I have to shut up for a while to find my inner peace again. This can take between 20 minutes and a couple of hours.”
What is HitchBOT’s itinerary as it makes its across the U.S?
The trip is dependent mostly on the strangers who pick HitchBOT up along the way, but its creators have customized a list of spots that they hope their robot creation will have the chance to see along the way including: the lights in Time’s Square, Walt Disney World Florida, Viva Las Vegas, and hearing jazz in New Orleans.
The team responsible for the birth of HitchBOT
A small Canadian team of experts created the concept, and gave birth to HitchBOT before sending it along on its many journeys. The team includes journalists, computer scientists, and robotics experts. If you plan on spending any time traveling by car in the U.S. this summer, you just might pull over and find that HitchBOT is looking for a ride with you. Pick the robot and take it along for the ride, and feel free to have a conversation, because he loves to chat with new friends.
