Hitchbot Aftermath Might be Sad Commentary on Society

Some Canadian researchers made a robot, then sent it on a trip across America...but as a hitchhiker. It probably should be no surprise that it never made it off the east coast and was vandalized beyond repair:

Associated Press:

• The robot bounced around the Boston area and was briefly taken to sea. One day, it took in a Red Sox game, checking off one of the items on the bucket list created for it. But hitchBOT never made it off the East Coast.
  The creators were sent an image of the vandalized robot Saturday but couldn't track its location because the battery is dead. They said they don't know who destroyed it or why.
  
  
  Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2015/08/01/6347359/hitchhiking-robots-cross-country.html#storylink=cpy

That I would have thought could happen. More disturbing, though,  is this part of the aftermath story:

• With the robot destroyed, Zeller said, she was most concerned about children who loved hitchBOT and followed it on social media. Her team doesn't plan to release the last photo of it to protect young fans who might be distraught.

Really? "Distraught" kids? Over a robot?? Is this really where we are at??

For societal impaired: This was just a movie. Robot not a real person.

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