University researchers unleash robot trash cans in New York City

Researchers from Cornell University unleashed two robotic trash cans in New York City, to study people’s interactions with autonomous everyday objects in public spaces. The robots were equipped with cameras and were powered by recycled hoverboards. The two robots were separated to collect both landfill and recycling. This footage shows people in Astor Place in New York City, generally being welcoming towards the robots. One woman is seen helping one after it becomes stuck. Another clip shows a man rewarding the trash can for moving towards him, calling him “good boy” after dropping rubbish into the bin. Some people were seen negatively reacting to the robots, with one observer calling them “creepy”. According to the researchers, the robots generally “encouraged social interaction among strangers” adding that people felt pressured to generate garbage for the robots. Credit: Cornell University via Storyful