POPSCI.COM.AU 23
BEFORE ANDROIDS CAN DREAM of
electric sheep, they need humans to
do some dreaming for them. Such is
the case of Misty 1. While it started
as a project within Sphero—the com-
pany that created the BB-8 toys and
other rolling robotic critters—Misty
is no plaything. Only a few dozen
programmers will be able to buy one
of these 400-mm-tall bots in the
hope it will answer an existential
question: “What is my purpose?”
Misty’s hardware offers coders
plenty to tinker with as they work
on that puzzle. Collision-avoid-
ance equipment helps it navigate
domestic clutter like dropped toys
and discarded clothing, and far-
field microphones listen for voice
commands. It can even map and
remember its surroundings, just like
a self-driving car does. The more
skills programmers create, the closer
Misty gets to discovering a reason
for being. Imagine that.COURTESY SPHEROState
of the
Art by STAN HORACZEK
Robot Without
a Cause