Will This 'OCCU(PI)' Robot Replace People Protesters?

Robots are better than people as protesters in almost every sense of the word. They don't get tired. They don't get too cold. They don't have to eat. Pepper spray most likely will not debilitate them. And they can be programmed to say whatever you want.

Check out this OCCU(PI) Bot to see what future protesters could look like:

Created by Randy Sarafan, this OCCU(PI) Bot -- or Emiglio as it is named -- was "the first in a promising line of tireless, unstoppable, robotic class warriors". Sarafan goes on to describe his inspiration for OCCU(PI) Bot:

Learning from the lessons of the 1%, I set forth to outsource our occupy-related labor to a robotic workforce. Robots obviously have many advantages over their human counterparts. For instance, robots never get tired, they don't get cold, they don't sleep, nor eat, don't require tents, and when armed insurrection becomes necessary, robots are much more morally ambivalent. Additionally, we had a discussion with an unnamed member of the San Francisco police force and they confided in us that the police currently do not have any plan for dealing with robotic occupiers.

If you're interested in making an OCCU(PI) Bot for your own protesting purposes, here's what you'll need according to Sarafan:

- A robot (My robot's name is Emiglio. He is Italian.)

- A megaphone (or battery-powered amplifier)

- An 1/8" male-to-male stereo cable

- Optional Arduino and Wave Shield (or a tape recorder and computer)

- M-type plug (also optional - see step 5)

- 9V battery clip (also optional - see step 5)

- 9V battery (also optional - see step 5)

- Soap dish (also optional - see step 5)

- 4' x 3/4 PVC pipe

- Something for a sign board (I used acrylic, but cardboard would do)

- Something to write a slogan (I used acrylic paint, but a Sharpie would work)

- Some tape, nuts and bolts, and zip ties

- And whatnot

For step-by-step instructions on what to do with these parts, check out Sarafan's how-to here.

[H/T io9]