Robot That Hitchhiked Through Kelowna Is Heading to Germany

| January 19, 2015 in Technology

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A Canadian hitchhiking robot that made its way through Kelowna is now taking a trip to Germany.

The robot from Port Credit, Ontario, named hitchBOT travelled 6000km from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Victoria, British Columbia in the summer of 2014. The robot hitched 19 rides and spent 21 days travelling to get to its final destination. “I made a lot of friends along the way, and we shared great memories, including attending a wedding, dancing in Saskatchewan, and meeting some of Canada’s First Nations,” says hitchBOT in its bio.

Canadians gave hitchBOT a friendly helping hand through the country, listening to its fun trivia, following it on Twitter, and creating some memories. The robot can't move on its own, so it needed people to get it from place to place. The robot had a warm welcome in Kelowna, taking in some live bands, enjoying some coffee (and of course, wine), and recharging its batteries.

Now, however, hitchBOT is going to Germany in February in its wellies, learning German and making new friends. “We are anxious to learn how hitchBOT gets by on the Autobahn”, said hitchBOT's co-creator Frauke Zeller, “And, who knows, it’s always been hitchBOT’s dream to referee a German soccer match.”

This outgoing and talkative robot is sure to have a grand adventure in Europe, and you can follow it on Twitter and Instagram to see how it's doing. 

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