I’ve learned that most robots will actually turn up their internal heating element (which is normally for keeping internal components at optimal temps during cold weather) for the benefit of their feline companions. There you go! Quality companionship equals radiant heat?
“Sometimes I dream of f l y i n g. Up above everything and untouchable. By defying an elemental force like gravity, all other concerns are rendered null.”
Field notes entry— It was a dumb question: “Why not just run a heating element to keep internal components warm?” Insulating garments are a much more practical solution. Why waste additional energy when one can just wear a coat and preserve what waste heat is generated? Indeed!
I was exploring the city outskirts by bike one afternoon when these two passed me going the other way, the plant’s leaves making quite a racket in the breeze. A while later I passed the plant nursery they must have been shopping at; the place was a hive of activity with robots moving between the rows of plants, stooping to inspect this one or that and others pushing carts laden with plants of various sizes.
September 9, 10, and 11. Oregon Convention Center, Portland Oregon. The robots will be set up in Artist Alley, table E11! Come visit and check out all the amazing artists in the Alley, watch the incredible cosplayers, and maybe grab some fab merch. See you there!
Visit rosecitycomiccon.com for details!
“Excuse me, cat, when you are ready I will need you to relocate so that I may sweep this area.” The cat made a few last swipes at its whiskers and then stood. It the ambled down the sidewalk a few meters, sat down, and continued grooming. “Thank you,” the robot said and began briskly sweeping the pavement. The cat looked up for a moment and then returned its attention to its ears.
.
I documented this scene on the back of a plastic bag given to me on a recent trip by a friendly robot concerned that I may experience some “bias instability or null error with my gyroscope.” (Barf??)
I couldn’t help but wonder what must be going through their mind as they sat there alone and in silence, eyes skyward. Mind adrift in an inky sea, studded with glittering stars.
Hello friend. Save for obvious variations in gross surface anatomy, the robots might appear to be indistinguishable from each other. But each one is wonderfully unique, its life story told via scratches and dents on its housings.
(Don’t forget— the freshest content can be found on Instagram @robotoftheday !)
Hanging around outside a rechargé one evening and these two caught my eye. They appeared to be waiting with patience only robots seem to be able to muster. After a time I made a quick pencil sketch to document the scene. Eventually I began to rummage for an ink pen to proceed further when the third member of their party arrived (from an apparently unexpected vector) and all three proceeded to squeeze into the cab of this improbably tiny vehicle. After just a few moments of arranging themselves, the truck, cargo, and three robots hummed away from the curb and disappeared around the corner into the deepening twilight.
We’ve only just turned the corner on solstice and already we’re dreaming of sunny days and abundant energy. There’s a little rechargé vendor that usually parks their cart at a nearby open space that provides plenty of excellent “robot watching.”
It’s been far too long since I last visited the robots. Life, right? I managed to get away and explore some more side streets and encountered this bookseller. I couldn’t really tell what the sign meant but all of the books I picked up seemed to be about cats. So… a cat book store?
Don’t adjust your chronograph, we’re still working through the highlights of our backlog.
It’s the fleeting unguarded moments that catch my eye: a turn of the head, a mid-stride adjustment, the way a bag’s weight is automatically adjusted. These little moments amid the hustle and bustle, these little glimpses into an inner light, make the citizens of this city so much more real to me.
Robot Of The Day 