Hitchbot managed to snag its first ride Sunday on a journey across Canada.
Designed as part of a research project studying the evolution of human's relationship with technology, the robot is about the size of a six-year-old and was made with an old bucket, pool noodles, Wellington boots, rubber gloves, solar panels and a computerized "brain", according to CBC News.
After starting its journey outside Halifax, Hitchbot was quickly picked up by Anne and Brian Saulnier, who were on their way to Kouchibouguac National Park. The couple said they had heard about the robot traveling across country on the radio.
"I was actually just reading about him this morning as we were packing up our trailer for our camping trip. I thought that would be really cool if we actually saw him on the side of the highway, but thought what are the chances of that," Anne said.
The machine was created by McMaster University multimedia researcher David Harris Smith and research partner Frauke Zeller of Ryerson University. The goal of the project is to see how far it could travel with help from people passing by, CTV News reported.
"Hitchbot is solely dependent on the help and goodwill of people," Zeller said. "It can't move by itself, except the hitchhiking arm and finger."
Different tools can be used to charge the robot, such as solar panels on its torso, car cigarette lighters and a regular outlet. If the bot runs out of power while waiting for a ride, it will use written instructions on its body to tell people to bring it into the car and plug it in, and show people how to get to a help website. Additional features include a GPS and 3G wireless connectivity, which let the bot go on its website to post updates, CBC News reported.
The robot uses Wikipedia to plan its trip and talks to the people who pick it up, CTV News reported.
Smith said his biggest concern with the project is that people find Hitchbot annoying and won't be engaged with it. Zeller said, however, that she is confident that the robot will make a successful trip.
"I've become more and more confident all the time, when I saw how people embraced the idea," she said.
Both Smith and Zeller encourage people to take the robot on detours throughout its trip, saying that they are more interested in its journey than its destination.
"Really, this whole adventure unfolds on social media as Hitchbot travels across the country," Smith said.
The journey is set to end in the city of Victoria, and the researchers are aiming for the robot to use its charm to get rides, CBC News reported.
"A lovely couple offered to help me out. Look out, New Brunswick. Here I come," Hitchbot wrote on its Instagram page.
