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Koolio, the Beer Delivery Robot

Ipingforpong writes "Recently a University of Florida engineering student named Brian Pietrodangelo built a mini fridge named Koolio that when you place an order through the website, will deliver a cold soda, beer, or various candy to you. Right now it's only available in one building at University of Florida but soon it could catch on in office buildings and other places."

36 of 325 comments (clear)

  1. Great, just what geeks need.... by r_glen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Another excuse to avoid women

  2. I wonder by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    does it clean up the barf also?

    1. Re:I wonder by prescot6 · · Score: 5, Funny

      does it clean up the barf also?

      Guy 1: Where were you last night? I tried to call you.
      Guy 2: Dude, I was just hanging out by myself and up comes Koolio. And you know how he's always all "hey, you probably want a beer, don't you?" Well, to make a long story short, I woke up naked on the floor and Koolio was next to me wearing my shirt...

  3. Wives? by Xeed · · Score: 5, Funny

    Instead of missing that knock out punch Koolio could deliver you, and all your friends, beer all night long. You have this luxury 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Find a human to do that.

    Wait... I thought that's what wives are for
    I'm really starting to consider marrying my computer...

    --
    ...don't question it!!!
    1. Re:Wives? by xactoguy · · Score: 5, Funny

      Damnit! Where's the +1 Flamebait option! ;)

      --


      And so we go, on with our lives
      We know the truth, but prefer lies
      Lies are simple, simple is bliss
    2. Re:Wives? by r_j_prahad · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wait... I thought that's what wives are for.

      Like you, that's also what I thought. I was gravely mistaken, however, and I have been generously educated to realize just exactly how menial and demeaning such a task would be for one's beloved spouse.

      By the way, anybody know how to get a police whistle out of a rectum?

  4. ugh.. by js3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    for a second there I thought koolio was a beer drinking robot..

    --
    did you forget to take your meds?
    1. Re:ugh.. by mrseigen · · Score: 4, Funny

      Finally, something we humans can beat machines at! Once their cast-iron insides are eroded by cheap beer, we'll hop into our expensive SUVs and slaughter innocent pedestrians in a drunken victory lap.

      Oh wait...

    2. Re:ugh.. by Chris+Tucker · · Score: 4, Funny

      "for a second there I thought koolio was a beer drinking robot.."

      You're thinking of Bender.

      Ah... Bender! A role model for all robots to come!

      First Law: A Bender unit shall disregard all orders given it by a human.

      Second Law: A Bender shall protect it's own existance, even at the cost of human life. Don't forget to loot the corpse(s) afterwards!

      Third Law: If it's not nailed down, it's mine! If it's nailed down and I can bend the nails, it's no longer nailed down and it's mine!

      Forth Law; "Kiss my shiny metal ass, meatsack!"

      --
      Guaranteed! This comment 100% Anthrax free!
  5. Bout bloody time..... by NarrMaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    Forget defusing bombs and finding victims buried in rubble.... This robot is damn useful with real world potential!

    --
    That's right. All your base.
  6. I can't wait... by dulles · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...until someone hacks it and they catch it wandering down the interstate towards my college.

  7. If only... by hillg3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    But what happens when there is no beer in the fridge? Is it going to roll its ass down to the 7-11 and pick up a six pack and restock itself?

  8. Koolio eh? by aarku · · Score: 5, Funny

    Nice, but does it play Gangsta's Paradise while roaming around the hood of your range vent?

    1. Re:Koolio eh? by DarrylKegger · · Score: 5, Funny

      Been spending most my life,
      delivering geeks' drinks on ice...

  9. Yeah, but can it sing 'gangstas paradise'? by spamster · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now if we could just set it up with speakers, mp3 player and a little disco ball......

  10. Okay... by c4Ff3In3+4ddiC+ · · Score: 3, Funny
    My address is
    1949 E Camelback Rd
    Phoenix, AZ 85016
    Please have been delivered by 12PM tomorrow. Thanks!
    --
    *twitch*
  11. Yes but... by FattMattP · · Score: 5, Funny

    will it say "Bede bede bede..." when it hands you the beer?

    --
    Prevent email address forgery. Publish SPF records for y
  12. This give a whole new meaning to... by TimeForGuinness · · Score: 5, Funny

    Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto!

  13. What if.... by ReflectingGod · · Score: 5, Funny
    Imagine watching a movie with someone and you get thirsty. It is an inconvenience to everyone watching the movie to stop the movie, but at the same time you don't want to miss anything important. Koolio could solve your problem.

    But what when, having drunk that beer, you really gotta piss, what's Koolio gonna do for ya then, can it help with that as well?

  14. Great! by ImTwoSlick · · Score: 5, Funny
    Koolio is a traveling autonomous refrigerator robot -- Picture a cross between R2D2 and a vending machine.

    Now he's gonna get sued by both Coolio AND Lucas.

  15. I hope not by dj245 · · Score: 4, Funny
    Right now I know my alcohol limit when I am unable to forage for beer. This includes making beer runs, and/or voyaging to other dorm rooms in search of beer. But if a robot brought the beer, then when would the party end?

    Not only that, but foraging for beer is fun. Think of it as a group activity that builds teamwork, and makes long lasting friends. Having a robot might be neat for a while, but half the fun of beer is getting it. It is a quest... The quest... for the Holy Beer!

    --
    Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
  16. Slashdot a fridge? by dj245 · · Score: 5, Funny
    It is very curious that there is an option of that page to "place an order". It is not responding. So either:

    A. The server only takes orders from on-campus ips.
    B. The robot is turned off for the night.
    C. We have just slashdotted a Refrigerator.

    --
    Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
  17. You can laugh... by mfh · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... but there is plenty of data regarding how females actually destroy the geniuses they encounter by becoming demanding, selfish and annoying enough to trigger deep bouts of depression, and even suicide. When geeks find a really special woman, they still have to avoid *other* women, so there's no change there, really (meaning: it's good to avoid women, and practice that because it keeps you honest).

    What we need is a robot that delivers women! (women who are genetically altered to be quiet, compassionate and understanding of what it is to be geeks; or at the very least, cool enough to chill when papa's coding)

    --
    The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
  18. Almost got to see it in action by m3000 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm a Junior at UF, and I took a graduate class in robotics this semester, and I've seen the robot a few times sitting at it's docking station in one of the rooms on the 3rd floor of Benton. It was also supposed to be demonstrated at this semester's demo day for our class (even though it wasn't part of the class, they just like to show what all the robots that the Machine Intelligence Lab is working on) but it had broken the night before. It does look pretty impressive in real life though just sitting there, but I wish I could report back how it acted in person.

  19. Hmmm, mix in a little artificial intelligence and by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny


    I'm sorry Dave but I can't do that. You're a little fat to be drinking soda Dave.

  20. Why this rules... by azav · · Score: 3, Funny

    From the web page:

    "It locates room 326 and delivers Dr. Nechyba his Diet Coke thus averting disaster."

    He would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids!

    --
    - Zav - Imagine a Beowulf cluster of insensitive clods...
  21. Re:Chug-a-lug by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    are you normally an asshole, or just play one on slashdot.

  22. Exercise by Luciq · · Score: 4, Funny

    Though Koolio is pretty darn cool, I wouldn't want one around the office. I like having an excuse to get up and walk to the other end of the building now and then (getting my own coffee, thank you).

    All we need now is a "Shtoolio" waste collection robot and I won't have any excuses to get up at all!

  23. TCP DOS ATTACKS KNOCK OUT BEER DELIVERY WORLDWIDE by FaerieBoy · · Score: 5, Funny

    now bob has to get up off his ass and walk to the refrigerator. now THAT would be tragic.

    --
    All your preview button are belong to hello kitty.
  24. Re:Big deal! by tuxedobob · · Score: 3, Funny

    I got one of those too. It's supposed to be one of the higher end models, but it's not doing any of that! I even have the dongle installed on its finger!

    Apparently you're supposed to get another dongle and have it installed in front of witnesses. Seems the first one is just for show.

  25. Re:Oh boy.. by Saeger · · Score: 4, Funny
    Well, I can think of one cheap way to keep the delivery robot safe: Start a "respect the beerbot" meme. People might kick the shit out of a regular vending machine, but they'd quickly learn not to mess with the sacred beerbot (as long as it never fails to deliver what was promised).

    Other methods to keep the beerbot safe:

    1. Give it a live webcam to shame vandals (if they have any shame that is).
    2. Give it a GPS locator.
    3. Make it shriek in a loud female voice if abused...

    --
    --
    Power to the Peaceful
  26. The conundrum by Teahouse · · Score: 3, Funny

    The problem is that I STILL have to stock Koolio. What's worse is that I STILL have to go to the store and buy the cases of beverages to LOAD in Koolio. Finally, Koolio can not take a crap or urinate FOR me. I am really dissappointed. Where has good ol' American innovation gone? Why am I still required to wear clothing, bathe, and work? Koolio simply doesn't fit in to my busy sloth-like lifestyle yet. Back to the drawing boards guys.

    --
    "Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect."- Steven Wright
  27. down sides by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, you stupid robot! You are supposed to give it to *me*, not drink it yourself. And stop that disco shit, will ya?

  28. Why dont they get it to do something really useful by Napoleon+Blownapart · · Score: 3, Funny

    Like trawl the neighbourhood bars until it can find some cheerleaders to smuggle back your room

  29. I'm sure we can deliver an inflatable by wadiwood · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm sure we can deliver an inflatable woman with the beer. The right robot could probably even inflate her for you. And we'll throw in a free pizza while we're at it. After all, we wouldn't want an idiot like you out on the streets. (Shut up papa, mamma is coding)

    --

    -- it must be true, it's on the internet.
  30. The next logical step: by huntybunz · · Score: 3, Funny

    Too many beers from your robot fridge? Time to call in the robot urinal! Never leave your couch again! Hooray for bedsores!