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This Robot Couch on Wheels Means You'll Never Get Up Again

They see me rollin’…

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Some of us aren't satisfied with regular laziness. A group of engineering students at the University of New South Wales have developed a way for couch potatoes to take their laziness to the next level.

Little more than a remote-controlled couch on wheels, the RoboCouch is like one of those fleeting ideas you come up with in the shower and promptly forget about by the time you're dry. It's like flying cars; or a robot that passes butter; or a cooler with a built-in USB charging port, cutting board, blender, and Bluetooth speaker. Oh wait, that last one is real.

Very few people get to realize their shower thoughts, but this team of nine Aussie students spent roughly a year designing, assembling, and programming the RoboCouch. Despite the name, there's nothing automated about it—the user has to pilot it via an Xbox gamepad, which, to be fair, is still pretty awesome. They even have a video of it in action:

The students are planning further research into how they can improve the couch (as if a robot couch needs any improvement), and automation could very well be in the next iteration. They're also looking into ways to increase traction and steering so it can handle uneven terrain or steep inclines.

Who knows? A RoboCouch could be an integral piece of the future smart home. By linking to your smart TV, it would be able to detect when it's Miller Time and promptly escort you to the fridge. Just make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened and your trays stowed in their upright and locked position.

Via: University of New South Wales Newsroom Hero image: Flickr User “Erica Minton” (CC BY-NC 2.0)

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