Begging robots are nothing new, with one of the first creations coming out in mid-August 2008, but this cute little robot would definitely be hard to pass up without dropping some dimes.
DONA, an “Urban Donation Motivating Robot” is a definite eye-catcher with the red and white appearance. The little Red Robin Hood has the ability to move around in public spaces and has motion sensors that trigger different motions when people walk by. One motion encourages people to drop some money in the change can, while another motion is a bow to thank those who donate.
The Seoul, South Korea-based project is an effort to help various charities gain donations. DONA helps out organizations including “Save the Children,” known worldwide. It’s amazing how something so small can have such a large effect on those that need the help.
Designed by Min Su Kim, DONA is fairly small, standing at less than three feet tall. DONA is seen in the third stage of development in the above video. The original concept was developed and generated in August of 2009. A full year after development began, DONA was out and about trying to gather money for charities.
The project was created along with the help of the MIT Media Lab and the Sharing Experiences 2009 project start-up program. Is DONA the beginning of a new trend that will continue in years to come? It’s not certain, but DONA is definitely a great alternative to chucking change into fountains or wells.
Beggar robots are typically used in public spaces where begging is considered illegal. To its benefit, DONA is unobtrusive and does not pester passers-by. Hopefully there won’t be any IRS robots out anytime soon.
For more pint-size robots, check out RIC Android Robot Looks Cute, Little Robot Solves Maze in Seconds and Biped Robot – Balancing on One Leg, How Cute!
Via: IEEE Spectrum and Min Su Kim
