African Robotics Network Challenge Spurs Rash of $10 Robots

An anonymous reader writes with this story from Wired: "When the African Robotics Network announced their $10 robot design challenge this summer, co-founder Ken Goldberg was careful not to share too many expectations, lest he influence contestants' designs. But he never imagined one of the winning entries would prominently feature a pair of Spanish lollipops. The challenge, hosted by AFRON co-founders Goldberg and Ayorkor Korsah, emphasized inexpensive designs to help bring robotics education to African classrooms." Winners include "the lollipop-laden Suckerbot and traditional (roaming) category first prize winner Kilobot, a Harvard-spawned three-legged, vibrating, swarming robot."

Comments

ideas of what a robot is

[Osgeld]

seems to be loosening. I could take my old pager, stand it on end and watch it walk on the table, but I never considered it a "swarmbot" ... and it had more brains packed inside.

I know that's not the point of the exercise, but it just seems like any gizmo that wiggles around gets classified as a "robot"

Re:ideas of what a robot is

[jkflying]

Maybe robotic farmers.....maybe they could figure how to feed themselves for a change....

You realise one of the reasons Africa has famine is because westerners keep dumping free food on them, putting the local farmers out of business? It's a bit of a vicious cycle - you can't just ignore millions of starving people - but every time free food gets given out it upsets market prices as well.

It's a bit like the H1B situation in the states keeping skilled professionals' wages low.

Sign me up

[jtownatpunk.net]

I'm intrigued by this $10 Suckbot.

What? Oh. Once again, misread the summary and disappointed by the actual article.