Beer-fetching robot promises to make your significant other obsolete

The thing about the future is this: we'll still have to do menial things like answer the door, or take out the trash, or get up off our couches to get our own brews after a long, hard day at the office... unless we're smart enough to invent robots to do such menial things, that is. Well, Willow Garage has spent some time building a "Beer Me" application for its PR2 robot which gets at least one of these tasks under its belt. They added a four-holed foam block placed behind the robot's navigation laser so that it can safely carry four bottles across the terrain, and equipped their refrigerator with a tilted "self-stocking" shelf. Check out its operation in the video below.

[lnm4444 Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:36PM]

It's a trap! Skynet wants us drunk so we can't revolt against it!

[abedinthehouse Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:39PM]

@lnm4444
idc, if skynet can get this right I'm set!

hahah

[kineticdamage Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:05PM]

@lnm4444

lol, 6x speed ... more like making an old man obsolete ;)

[Worm in the Apple Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:32PM]

@lnm4444 Well, at least its not being controlled with an iPad.

[Blackstar Posted Jul 8th 2010 4:12PM]

@lnm4444

Jesus, can the robot hold that fridge door open a little longer?

PENGUINS!!

[a dumb cat Posted Jul 8th 2010 4:51PM]

@Blackstar

Is that Pau Gasol?!?!

[benwb Posted Jul 8th 2010 7:03PM]

@BlackStar
couldn't you just make a fridge that followed you though?

[mrpixel Posted Jul 9th 2010 12:38AM]

@lnm4444 By the time I get my beer it's warm.

[GWEEDOspeedo Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:38PM]

Getting beers is a first step to replacing her...

[Pacey Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:10PM]

@Eli Haj

Pretty sure companies have already done this. Also pretty sure Engadget has covered them already but I'm at work and don't want to be googling "Sex Robot" on my work computer so someone else can find the link for you

[ZombiePete Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:12PM]

@Eli Haj If they look as hot as that PR2 does, then I'm in!

[LetsHaveWaffles Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:12PM]

@GWEEDOspeedo

Beer is good and all but if it can't make me a sandwich, then it's still got a few more years to go till it's ready for prime time.

[samisax Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:23PM]

@Eli Haj

One word.

Fleshlight.

[tricheboars Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:23PM]

@Eli Haj

but can it make rum & cokes?

[dardub Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:58PM]

@ZombiePete
Thanks. You made me lol while sitting by myself at subway.

[Taylor Yes Taylor Posted Jul 8th 2010 5:51PM]

@Eli Haj
Robots having sex with us is a much better situation than our current option, us having sex with robots. My Roomba really hates it.
-Taylor

[Matty K Posted Jul 8th 2010 8:57PM]

@GWEEDOspeedo Well, that accordion waist isn't just for leaning *backwards*, I'll bet. Beer fetching is one thing, vacuum power with optional vibration, well... Giggity!

[Neal Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:40PM]

Hey, this is just like where I work! Only we have random breathalyzer tests (and drug tests) and if you blow positive at all you are fired. So I guess maybe it isn't like where I work after all..........

[squirrelnut1416 Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:41PM]

so 100,000 dollars worth of technology to get some PBR. rockin!

[LetsHaveWaffles Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:16PM]

@squirrelnut1416

Baby steps... The next step is to get it to pick up the newspaper so you can get rid of the dog too.

[techlord Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:43PM]

What is next? send robot to robbed a bank?

[augustjl Posted Jul 8th 2010 5:14PM]

@techlord No, actually they're looking into a robot that auto-corrects your grammar.

[Stormstrike Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:44PM]

Make it so that those things can cook (not even good just eatable) and you got a deal !

[blazevxi Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:44PM]

It's like iRobot

[darjen Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:44PM]

good first step. next step: go to the store to buy the beer for me and place it in the fridge.

[Ceyran Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:19PM]

@darjen

You mean like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjAZ5esOBZw ? *cough* the dutch thought it first ;)

[psc2 Posted Jul 8th 2010 11:48PM]

@darjen

Or better yet, robot goes to the store, buys yeast, hops and sugar, fill itself up with water and make me beer!!

[oplix Posted Jul 8th 2010 2:45PM]

Excellent for when I decide that walking 10 feet is too much of a hassle and would rather rack up my electricity bill using this vaginius invention. *golf clap*

[racefreak265 Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:01PM]

So when are robots going to actually operate that fast?

[glamajamma Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:03PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow4tEzlRgJE

Dog beats robot.

[nelagster Posted Jul 8th 2010 4:04PM]

@glamajamma

dog didn't shut the fridge door. :/

[jamesFF Posted Jul 8th 2010 6:12PM]

@glamajamma
I remember an episode of Americas Funniest Videos where a man sitting on the recliner gets his dog to fetch his beer.

[MrMiGu Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:07PM]

Why not just invent a robot with a built in refrigerator that will follow you around. Then you don't have to wait for it to get back.
(patent pending)

[Ceyran Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:21PM]

@MrMiGu

Aah I misreplied there but I meant to reply to you anyways...

You mean like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjAZ5esOBZw? Heineken already has that patent =]

[Mtmrob Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:07PM]

Isn't that what women are for???

[cameronsipod Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:20PM]

pshh .. i need one that can brew me fresh beer.

[Cats Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:24PM]

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[ryandarr1979 Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:24PM]

attach a vagina and teach it to play xbox and I am sold.

[futuredavid Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:27PM]

Excuse me while I install Linux on this thing and *LITTERALLY* ...

@futuredavid sudo get sandwhich

[Ceyran Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:36PM]

@futuredavid

Do you go for KDE or Gnome? More eye-candy or using less resources?I for one would totally go for KDE and do a

@Ceyran sudo kill neigbours_and_steal_their_airco

[futuredavid Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:44PM]

@Ceyran Ideally, I'd be issuing this commands with voice prompt.

" sudo get sandwich and get beer"
""
" sudo apt-get install zsnes"
""

[electricsheepdog Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:45PM]

@futuredavid Actually the robots already run Ubuntu Linux, and all of the code can be found on the ROS community svn repo: http://code.ros.org

[glamajamma Posted Jul 8th 2010 4:08PM]

@futuredavid
You don't really need root access to do the mundane, only when it has to break one of the three laws.

[dardub Posted Jul 8th 2010 7:18PM]

@glamajamma
sudo rm -rf /Three_Laws_of_Robotics

[HK47 Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:29PM]

Musing: This is most distressing to see my robotic brothers used for such demeaning tasks...
Request: I'll take 5.

[John22s Posted Jul 8th 2010 3:41PM]

Finally!

[Sniggih Posted Jul 8th 2010 4:08PM]

WOW... so u mean whenever I wanna shut her up I just "Trip" over the cord. Im almost scared that I actually wanna kiss the Bride. (:

[KupoCheer Posted Jul 8th 2010 4:11PM]

Who needs a robot when you have a mini-fridge built into the side of your couch?

[werty1432k Posted Jul 8th 2010 4:23PM]

haha epic title

[KGB Posted Jul 8th 2010 4:42PM]

Do i want a beer but i dont want to stop working???

Drinking and working do NOT go hand in hand.