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Toronto Mini Maker Faire 2014: Hitchbot Jr meets Hitchbot
One of the things we were really excited about doing at the Toronto Mini Maker Faire was meeting Hitchbot. If you haven't met HitchbotJr yet, he's a project of EPCOTclass at Churchill Alternative public school. They were inspired by Hitchbot's travels across Canada. He's got a GPS running watch in his backpack. The class is planning to use Hitchbot Jr to track people's walking habits in their neighborhood. Here's a picture on HitchbotJr meeting Hitchbot for this first time. That's Colin on the left and Dominik on the right. They are part of Hitchbot's family.
EPCOTclass had lots of questions for Hitchbot. I had a chance to talk to Hitchbot's team and ask them some questions. The video is below. Unfortunately, the Mini Maker Faire is a really loud place! You can't hear us that well.
Here's a brief summary of the questions I asked and their response.
- Hitchbot Jr's birthday is October 17, what is Hitchbot's birthday? A: Hitchbot's physical body is quite young, his birthday is in June this year!
- Hitchbot Jr works with a GPS watch, does Hitchbot have a GPS? A: Hitchbot has an Android tablet that has provides this functionality.
- What is Hitchbot made from? A: His hat is a garbage can lid, his head is a cakesaver, his body is a bucket and his arms and legs are pool noodles. Hitchbot is made out of things you can find in your garage!
- Where was Hitchbot made? A: Hitchbot was made in Port Credit, Ontario. His family comes from Port Credit and Hamilton area.
- Does Hitchbot have a pet? EPCOTclass has Daigus. A: When Hitchbot traveled from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick, the people who carried him bought him a small dog from WalMart. [Found that tweet here.]
- Does Hitchbot know English? Who taught him? A: Hitchbot knows English and speaks about 200 phrases.
- Where is Hitchbot's home? A: His home is in Port Credit, Ontario.
- How long did it take to make Hitchbot? How many people helped? A: Team was about 10 people.
- Does Hitchbot have a maintenance team? A: Hitchbot is very durable. He does have a crack in his face, though. He goes back to his family for checkups. Dominick helps with repairs.
- Any weatherproofing tips? A: His hat! Hitchbot's hat covers his whole body so rain falls off. Hitchbot's tripod helps him stand up and resists the wind. His boots are waterproof too!
Thanks to Jacky and Ian for answering all our questions on Sunday. It was great to meet Frauke and David, his co-creators too! You can learn all about Hitchbot's family here.
One thing I liked the most about meeting Hitchbot was seeing all of his decorations. I wasn't expecting that! But Hitchbot has collected signatures and mementos from his trip across Canada. He's just lovely! We've added a few little things to HitchbotJr from his trip to Toronto Mini Maker Faire. I can't wait to see what else he collects!