Il robottino autostoppista canadese, che aveva conquistato i cuori di fan in tutto il mondo, è stato distrutto e abbandonato lungo una strada di Philadelphia. Il gesto dei vandali ha suscitato un'ondata d'indignazione che sta animando i social network. HitchBot aveva attraversato indenne la Germania e il Canada ma è riuscito a "sopravvivere" negli Stati Uniti solo due settimane.
Uno dei suoi creatori, Frauke Zeller, si è detto dispiaciuto soprattutto per i bambini che avevano imparato ad amare HitchBot e seguivano le sue avventure in internet, grazie a un GPS incorporato e alle foto che scattava ogni 20 minuti.
HitchBot, progettato per avviare conversazioni con i conducenti, era stato realizzato anche per condurre un esperimento sociale dai ricercatori dell'università Ryerson di Toronto. Chi trovava il robottino lo caricava in auto e poi lo passava ad altri automobilisti o lo faceva scendere dove altri potessero dargli un passaggio fino alla sua destinazione finale, scitta in bella evidenza su un cartello mostrato dall'automa. Tutto è finito con la stupida aggressione di Philadelphia.
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