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Some people absolutely love running, but for the rest of us it’s a chore we have to suffer through to just keep fit. Would it be a tad more fun if you had a robotic pal to keep you company as you trudge round the park, though? The Joggobot’s Australian creators think so.
The Joggobot is basically a modified Parrot AR Drone, which follows you around by tracking a patterned T-shirt you wear as you go running. It’s like the proverbial carrot you can never reach, as it flies just in front of you as you sprint towards it. It’s got two modes: a “companion mode”, which basically just keeps you company, whirring its encouragement to keep you going, and “coach mode”, which kicks it up a gear and makes you chase it around the park.
The Joggobot has a couple of drawbacks though. For one it’ll only fly for 20 minutes at a time, which sounds great to me as that’s all the running I can take at any one time, but might be a bit of a downer for anyone who wants to run further. The other is that it won’t be able to carry much.
One of the problems I have with running is fitting in time to actually get out there do it. If the Joggobot could carry a bag full of stuff I could run with it home from work, but I’m guessing that’s not really going to happen anytime soon. The Joggobot is still in the prototyping stage, but I like it. Maybe I’d run a bit more if I had a fun toy to follow me around. After all, who hasn’t wanted a robotic pal at one stage or another? [Joggobot via Wired UK]
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Wonder how you catch it if its programmed to always be in front of you? Like coming up to a busy junction…..
I suspect its not programmed to always run away from you… I would presume it knows how far away you are from it. Otherwise, yes, you are essentially just constantly chasing it until you can get it in a corner. Might actually be better for exercise.
I’m guessing its hooked up to an iPhone like the orginal and has a return command or something – I just like the idea of a benny hill style chase with it.
It would be cool if you could give it simple commands by hiding parts of the pattern on your t-shirt.
Thats pretty awesome!
I want one that can carry a bottle of water for me..
Make it look like a bird of prey and you’re on. I get mobbed by herring gulls on a handful of my (old) running routes. I briefly considered hiring a local falconry handler to travel behind me with a large raptor in flight, but this seems like a better option.
I also considered dusting down the old Webley Tempest, till someone pointed out that shitehawks are protected.
Are you sure the creators are Australian? Their accents are European in both videos. Only the presenter sounds Australian. Maybe you meant Austrian?
They’re from the RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.
There’s this amazing new concept of attending a University that isn’t in the country that you are from.
Both inventors sound like they are German-Speakers that have refined their English in Australia (you can hear this particularly in the 2nd video). The guy in the 2nd video actually sounds a little bit like an Australian/German Kermit the Frog…
Put it this way, it’s the product of an Australian university.
There we go. Everyone’s happy!
“There’s this amazing new concept of attending a University that isn’t in the country that you are from.”
I was just asking if they were indeed Australian because they both had European accents. No need for condescending sarcasm like that.
You’ll note my above comment was directed to Sam and his reply and not your own. (The little @Sam Gibbs thing at the top of the comment)
That should take away the condescension you’ve interpreted.
Noted.
Thanks. If anything I was supporting what you were saying…they certainly don’t sound like any Australian I’ve met!