I live in the Pacific Northwest which, as you may have heard, is experiencing a record-breaking heatwave. It is hot, especially for a region that lives under cloud cover for most of the year. What we really could have used up here over the past few days is the Heineken B.O.T. (Beer Outdoor Transporter), an autonomous little robot that will literally follow you around carrying a cooler full of ice cold beer (or whatever).
Hat tip to Hype Beast for bringing the B.O.T. to our attention. The robot is autonomous and uses motion sensors to follow you around and avoid obstacles. As the promotional video points out, lugging coolers around on a hot day is heavy and no fun. The B.O.T.’s cooler holds 12 cans of beer and ice and since it goes where you go, a frosty beverage is always within arm’s reach.
The idea of autonomous robots bringing refreshments to people isn’t new. A couple years back, Pepsi was using Robby robots to being snacks to students at the University of the Pacific in Stockton. More recently, Cheetah Mobile in China launched FANBOT, which is like a mobile bodega — though it’s used indoors in places like hotels and malls. And Yo-Kai Express is currently developing an autonomous ramen vending machine for students to hail on college campuses.
But don’t expect to see Heineken B.O.T.s scurrying around public sidewalks anytime soon, however, as this appears to be a promotional play from Heineken. It’s holding a contest in July where you can enter to win your own B.O.T. and stay refreshed through the hot summer months.
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