The elder Free-Ride offspring drew this:
I'm told it's a cat-mantis-kangaroo-lizard-horned toad robot. I'm pretty sure it's not yet available in stores (although maybe there's a kit?).
But I really want one. And not just to set against a Roomba in gladiatorial battle.
Speaking of Roomba, my better half was professing a need for yet another haircut, which got me to thinking that someone should develop a hybrid of the Roomba and the Flowbee. I mean, who wouldn't want a robot going on regular reconnaissance missions across one's head to determine whether the hair growth warrants a trim and, if so, to administer that trim on the spot?
What could go wrong?
- Log in to post comments
More like this
A conversation with the younger Free-Ride offspring at the elder Free-Ride offspring's soccer practice this week:
Dr. Free-Ride: Hey, can you tell me about the science you've learned in kindergarten this year?
Younger offspring: No.
Dr. Free-Ride: Why not?
Younger offspring: We haven't really…
It has been noted before that the Free-Ride offspring have a fondness for LOLcats. (After all, what six- to eight-year-old wouldn't like LOLcats?)
But it turns out that even captioned kitties can be the impetus for a conversation about matters scientific.
Oh noes!
Younger offspring: That…
In pondering the effects of nature versus nurture, the Free-Ride parents have become painfully aware that a large part of their offspring's environment is provided by the kids at school. This is how the sprogs came to be aware of the existence of The Disney Channel, whose offering seem to grate on…
Dr. Free-Ride: I wanted to ask you guys a question. I think maybe I asked you this question (or something like it) some time ago, but you were a lot younger and, you know, you keep growing and changing and stuff. So the question is, when someone tells you something about science, how can you tell…
Sprog-the-elder is definitely an inventive genius. I want a closet full! Or would a breeding pair be sufficient?
Robots don't come in breeding pairs, silly!
However, if this robot is anything like a car engine (as described on Car Talk), if you disassemble it and reassemble it, you're bound to have some leftover pieces. Doing this enough times is predicted to leave you with enough leftover pieces to assemble a second robot.
This, I suspect, is why Monsanto isn't in the robot business.
Looks scary to me.
"Robot's don't come in breeding pairs, silly!"
Well, I can see that what we really need is a Von Neumann cat-mantis-kangaroo-lizard-horned toad robot and a roomfull of parts, perhaps generated by the Click-Clack method mentioned above...
Ha! I was close! I thought it was a robo-mantisdeer.
I don't quite see the "lizard" part, but remarkably, it really does convey all of the others! That's some serious artistic talent! Now the sprogs just need to design a kit for building these.