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Willow Garage's PR2 Brobot Revolutionizes Robotic Boozing

by Warren Riddle on July 9, 2010 at 08:10 AM

Beer Me bot
The engineers at Willow Garage already taught their astounding PR2 bot to play pool, and now those same developers have added a new capability that corresponds perfectly with the PR2's stick-shooting, barroom skill. While bartender-bots and beer-pouring "kegs on wheels" grow increasingly commonplace, the PR2 adds an entirely new dimension to cybernetic drinking.

Using a Web interface, thirsty humans drag specific beer selections to a bucket icon, specify the ale's destination, and then select the "Beer Me" icon. The robot subsequently rolls to the fridge, opens the door and uses a camera to select the proper beer. The PR2 then grabs the bottles and drops them in a cup holder before delivering them to a waiting souse. The PR2 actually won't relinquish the beer unless a human face appears before its camera, and the awesome beer-bot can even crack the bottles with an opener -- just with an expected bit of frothy spewage. Check the droid in action after the jump.

With its new capabilities, the PR2 may be the most desirable robot since the Nesbot Rover, whose developers definitely need to hook up with the Willow folks. The Nesbot barista would serve as the PR2's perfect morning-after companion, and combining the two would create an unrivaled, consummate party-bot. [From: Willow Garage Video, via: Singularity Hub]

Tags: alcohol, beer, beer me, BeerMe, drinking, pr2, robot, RobotBartender, robots, top, WillowGarage, WillowGaragePr2

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