Hitchhiking Robot
In this July 17, 2015, file photo, a car drives by HitchBOT, a hitchhiking robot in Marblehead, Mass. The Canadian researchers who created hitchBOT as a social experiment say someone in Philadelphia damaged the robot beyond repair on Saturday, Aug. 1, ending its brief American tour. The robot was trying to travel cross-country after successfully hitchhiking across Canada last year and parts of Europe. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)
(Stephan Savoia)
HitchBOT, the hitchhiking robot created by Canadian researchers, has safely travelled more than 6,000 miles across Canada and Europe -- but it didn't make it out of Philly alive.
The robot, which is immobile and relies on the kindness of strangers to get from place to place, was just two weeks into its cross-country tour of the U.S. with hopes of stopping in New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Walt Disney World.
But after making it from its start in Boston to New York, hitchBOT's journey was abruptly ended when it was vandalized overnight in Philadelphia, according to a post on the website reachers from Toronto's Ryerson Univeristy have used to document its travels.
"Sometimes bad things happen to good robots," a post on the website read. Further details about the vandalism or where it occurred in Philadelphia were not provided.
With hitchBOTs Twitter account boasting nearly 45,000 followers, the experiment has drawn fans from around the world. Many have been eager to see how the researchers' attempts at documenting human interaction with a robot, specifically one that's dependent on humans, played out in the real world.
Equipped with low-budget limbs, a camera that takes snapshots every 20 minutes and GPS-tracking, hitchBOT travelled for 26 days across Canada and also had jaunts across Germany and the Netherlands as well, attending weddings, riding in sports cars, participating in local events and visiting historic sites.
News that hitchBOT didn't survive his visit to the City of Brotherly Love drew ire from many social media users, upset at how its road trip came to an end. Users in South Jersey and Philadelphia however, were especially disappointed in their home city.
More details about hitchBot's condition and journey ahead are expected to be released on Aug. 5.
Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.