We have seen the future of pizza delivery, and it includes robots. Called “DRU” (Domino’s Robotic Unit), this three-foot tall, 450-pound robot is fully autonomous and can hit a top speed of 12.4 mph from the store to any location within a 20-kilometer radius. It consists of a battery-powered heated compartment that can keep up to 10 pizzas warm and a chilled compartment for cold drinks, all encased in a water-tight, weather-proof acrylic plastic exterior. LIDAR laser-light sensors located within the unit will help the robot detect obstacles on his route, and to prevent thefts, customers can only access their pizzas by entering a unique code into the pizza compartment. Continue reading for five more strange inventions that people came up with over the years.
5. Casio EX-TR70 Selfie Camera That Costs $1,400
Casio’s $1,399 EX-TR70 camera was designed to take selfies, right down to the custom user interface. This camera is streamlined to help the user capture the perfect portrait each and every time, complete with a hinged frame. There are several ways to snap a picture, including squeezing the body, using the ‘selfie pad’ on the side, a countdown self-timer, touching certain part of the frame, or by pressing on its 3-inch display. It also comes loaded with special ‘digital makeup’ software that can be used to erase blemishes and make the face look slimmer, skin fairer, and eyes larger.
4. Freedom 251 $4 Phone
Believe it or not, the Freedom 251 phone is priced at just $3.67 USD, and it’s not just a barebones device. Featuring a 5-inch touchscreen display, 8GB of internal storage, a 3.2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth connectivity, and even 3G connectivity. “We will be the first Indian company to offer an incredible smartphone at a highly affordable price. [It’s a] minimalistic and lightweight take on the Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system,” according to the Ringing Bells website.
3. Keepalive Wi-Fi Router Rock
From afar, this rock looks like any other in the woods, but this 1.5-ton boulder is actually a fire-powered WiFi router and USB drive. It was created by Berlin artist Aram Bartholl, who named the rock “Keepalive,” and aims to highlight the contrast between ancient and modern survival techniques. The network runs Piratebox, DIY-software that creates offline wireless networks. Using this network, visitors can access, browse and download bizarre PDF survival guides for the modern world stored on a USB drive, bored into a different section of the rock.
2. Fontus Self-Filling Water Bottle
The Fontus is basically a bottle that claims to pull water out of thin air, or to be more specific, it uses solar power to pull moisture from the air and condense it into potable water. The device works on the simple principle of condensation, and uses thermoelectric cooling, along with a condensator in the device that’s connected to a series of hydrophobic surfaces that repel water. When the bottle it takes in air, these surfaces get cold, leaving behind condensation. “Because they’re hydrophobic, they immediately repel the condensed water that they created, so you get a drop flow [into the bottle],” said its creator, Kristof Retezar.
1. NUA Robotics Smart Suitcase That Follows You
The NUA Robotics smart suitcase connects to a smartphone app through Bluetooth, and has a built-in camera sensor that can ‘see’ and follow you around on flat surfaces, like inside an airport terminal. There’s also an integrated anti-theft alarm as well as a backup battery to charge all your mobile devices. “It can follow and carry things for people around while communicating with their smartphone, and avoiding obstacles. We’re combining sensor network, computer vision, and robotics. So if you download our app, press the ‘follow me’ button, the luggage recognizes the specific user and knows to follow and communicate,” said Alex Libman, founder of NUA Robotics.
