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Vehicle for Cockroaches

Posted by Zonk on from the wait-till-you-see-the-spoiler dept.

William Robinson wrote to mention an entertaining Wired news article about vehicle meant for cockroaches. From the article: "Hertz has constructed a three-wheeled robotic vehicle that lets a Madagascan hissing cockroach navigate a room while perched atop a ping-pong ball. The ball works like a computer mouse's track ball. Where the roach moves on the ball, the vehicle moves in the room. Sensors on the bot can tell when it's going to hit something. It also has a semi-circle of LED lights facing the roach, so when it's about to hit an obstacle an LED will shine on the creature from the direction of the barrier, hopefully causing it to run in the other direction."

10 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. Anyone else... by Obiwan+Kenobi · · Score: 4, Funny

    Am I the only guy who read the blurb and couldn't help but blurt out: "What the fuck is Hertz doing working on a rent-a-ping-pong-ball...for roaches?!"

    It was like living in a Ziggy strip, I swear to God.

    1. Re:Anyone else... by gbulmash · · Score: 3, Funny
      They have their "never lost" GPS option. This is the new "in dash chauffeur" option they're working on. :-)

      - Greg

      --
      Start a happiness pandemic
    2. Re:Anyone else... by drgonzo59 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Pretty soon Jimmy the roach will be driving you to work every morning and picking up your kids from school. All it wants in return is some garbage and cartboard to poop on.

  2. And they say... by GeekZilla · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...Innovation is slowing down. HA! Take that Jonathan Huebner!

    first post?

    --
    Veritas patesco per quaestio questio. Truth is revealed through questions.
  3. If you are going to duplicate articles: by Glowing+Fish · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you are going to duplicate articles, duplicate articles, about, say, finding water on the moon, or Debian releasing a stable distro, or, people find a cure for cancer, or SCO finally going belly up.

    Why subject us to the thought of ROBOTICALLY AMPLIFIED COCKROACHES twice? Or is this just for everyone whose mind blanked this out the first time?

    --
    Hopefully I didn't put any [] around my words.
  4. Roaches by DrugCheese · · Score: 4, Funny

    They're gonna be the ones surviving the nuclear wars anyway, so might as well teach them how to use the technology while we can.

    --
    *DrugCheese rants*
  5. Very smart by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If they can just get them to use cellphones while they drive it might be a great way to wipe out cockroaches. Darwin would be proud.

  6. Its obligatory by jolande · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, I for one welcome our newly mobilized Cockroach overlords

  7. Great... by ShatteredDream · · Score: 4, Funny

    Next thing you know, we'll be giving squad cars to the spiders to keep those speed demon roaches in check...

    --
    Click here or a puppy gets stomped!
  8. But does it play... by 404notfound · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... La Cucaracha for the horn?