Video: RoboStool follows you around, never leaves you sans a seat

We can't fully express the awesomeness of RoboStool with mere words, but we'll try. A product of Norris Labs, this robotic foot stool can be navigated in a trio of ways: by using a remote control, by actually tapping into a satnav or by utilizing a thermal sensing system to make it follow its master around. We don't suppose you need more than one guess to pick which of the three is our favorite, and there's a nice demonstration video of said choice waiting after the jump. IKEA, you on this or what?

[Freakin Ijit @ Aug 2nd 2008 2:58PM]

At the start of that video I expected to hear:

>>> "Zalright?"

>>> "Zalright!"

Or at least see a skeletal hand.

[fontendet24 @ Aug 2nd 2008 11:11PM]

I think that they can make toilet model too...that always goes with you.

[Josh @ Aug 4th 2008 12:04PM]

Can you imagine this robot combined with the one mentioned in this article: http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=526&doc_id=155718&f_src=flffour ?

A stool with personality: "It's been 2 months since my last oil change, let me just go ahead and push this mofo down the stairs"

[B3astofthe3ast @ Aug 2nd 2008 2:59PM]

It's a little loud and slow when it going back and forth from "seat mode" to "travel mode"

[phanbouy @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:08PM]

that's what she does

[Wwhat @ Aug 3rd 2008 7:39PM]

That's also the camera, it has a tendency to accentuate certain sounds.

[Daniel @ Aug 2nd 2008 2:59PM]

Lmao i can see myself with this at the mall

[adam @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:04PM]

with this following my dog, coco would flip a shit!

[lowdef @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:02PM]

robostool- sounds like an absurdly powerful and efficient laxative...

[phanbouy @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:09PM]

you win an internet

[XIYL @ Aug 4th 2008 4:41AM]

I hope nobody ever makes me brownies with that stuff.

[Graham @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:02PM]

I would modify this into my own personal R2D2 unit.

[Tina Darby @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:20PM]

I'm going to buy a ton of these, attach cardboard cut-outs of papparazzi to them and have them follow me around everywhere, so I look famous and all bad ass

[Ian @ Aug 2nd 2008 11:08PM]

you my good sir win at life

[AC @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:23PM]

sweet, now I can be lazy all the time.

I don't even have to walk to a seat anymore.

[Jon Nelson @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:23PM]

I, for one, welcome our robotic stool overlords.

Boy, I can't WAIT to trip over something like this over and over in the future.

[Dan @ Aug 3rd 2008 2:34PM]

Dick Van Dyke is no longer safe.

[MJZimmer88 @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:25PM]

Can they make some luggage that will follow me around now? Like in Terry Pratchett's "Sourcery"...

If it eats a few people in the process, I'm cool with that too...

[zapht @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:46PM]

if it had subordinate voice statements like "please use me for your comfort master" it would be an essential part of the home.

[Josh @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:56PM]

I can see a headline already: "RoboStool Kills Woman, Pushed Down Stairs".

[Yevon @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:40PM]

The robot uprising begins...

[gt2378b @ Aug 3rd 2008 12:09PM]

Pak Chooie Unf

[cwm @ Aug 4th 2008 4:12PM]

sterilize imperfections...sterilize imperfections...STERILIZE!

[BigD145 @ Aug 2nd 2008 3:59PM]

I sure could use that in my 500 square foot apartment. Chairs are always so far away.

[Christopher @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:10PM]

Now if you made this a toilet that followed you around, you've made serious cash, bet nursing homes would love this.

[Darkroom @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:21PM]

Engadget said "Stool"... hehehe *points*

[melrosedjt @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:46PM]

"DI-REC-TIVE!"

[Cedric @ Aug 3rd 2008 4:27AM]

EX-TER-MIN-ATE!!!

[Paul @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:47PM]

Seems similar to the project designed to follow you around a library.

http://www.robotliving.com/2008/06/16/robotic-chair/

[haX0r @ Aug 2nd 2008 4:59PM]

They should make one with a toilet.

You could still call it RoboStool (feces), CrapNGo or R2go#2.

[Harlan @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:59AM]

C3PeeGo

[required @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:26PM]

I am pretty sure what is shown in the video is considered an ottoman, which by the way would make for a better name: Robottoman.

[wildstar @ Aug 3rd 2008 6:49AM]

arigatoman mister Robottoman

[Max @ Aug 2nd 2008 5:54PM]

Wait...it utilizes a thermal sensing system to follow its master around?

I anticipate hours of hilarity when this thing's thermal sensing system locks onto freaked out housecats.

[Shane @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:26PM]

Unless your housecat is used to seeing random crazy robots...

http://www.norrislabs.com/Projects/Mona/index.html

[chubbyrain @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:02PM]

I have a much cheaper invention I call "Rub-a-Stool."

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:53PM]

I have a free one, it's called "The Floor"!

[Shunnabunich @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:03PM]

There seems to be an awful lot of waiting involved with the current incarnation; I'd like to see that with faster and quieter motors so it can keep up with a person's normal walking pace, and not take so painfully long to raise up into travel mode.

[Jack @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:25PM]

That guys pants are a little short...

[Jack @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:25PM]

Nevermind, i only saw his pants after he sat down

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:55PM]

Pretty sure he had pants on while walking......Not sure what You saw. I want one of these, walking with a cane everywhere makes me very tired. I need one of these, oh sbap no I don't. I need a segway, not one of those copycraps either.

[m00n3r @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:53PM]

wait a second... dilbert already invented this!

[Anthony @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:59PM]

I think the people that would really buy/want these probably aren't walking around that much to begin w/.

[Mike @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:11PM]

One word: stairs.

[George A. Romero @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:39PM]

They don't make them stairs anymore. Nowadays, the younger folks use these fancy gravity defying devices called elevators cause they're too heavy to go up stairs.

[Armoured @ Aug 2nd 2008 9:28PM]

That's pretty cool...but what if there's more than one heat source?

[Harlan @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:56AM]

Or what if it's 98.6 degF in your house?

[neofolklore @ Aug 4th 2008 8:39AM]

open a window.

[nikster @ Aug 2nd 2008 9:32PM]

The idea of a robot following you around is a breakthrough - it might make robots mainstream. I can think of so many useful applications for this.

First up: Luggage that follows me around. Remember that utterly useless motor powered luggage covered on these pages a while ago? Well - if it followed me around automatically, it would be a whole different story. Of course a thermal sensor isn't enough - it would have to be tuned to its master. Perhaps a little RFID tag on my keychain.

The following seat is awesome too though. Sure the current version is pretty crude, but the idea is there.

[vonbroner @ Aug 3rd 2008 12:22AM]

Come on, so you'd let your luggage follow you around in an airport. The place they strip search you if you leave a bag unattended and you want to let your Samsonite walk itself.