Two weeks ago, researchers from Ryerson University in Toronto started an experiment to see if a robot could hitchhike across America. They called it ‘hitchBOT,’ and put it by the side of the road in Boston with a sign saying “San Francisco or Bust!”
Obviously they hoped different people would take interest, and gradually drive it all the way to California. It came with a bucket list of places to visit — like Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon and could answer simple questions.
They had good reason to be optimistic; it’s already made trips across Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Things started out pretty well too. The robot made it to Fenway, visited three cities in Massachusetts, hung out on a fishing boat, and got all the way to Times Square.
Unfortunately it wound up in Philadelphia this weekend, where people destroyed it; stole the electronics inside; and took its head. The researchers said: “bad things happen to good robots.”
