Robot Arm Pumps Gas, Oregon Surrenders
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Thursday, 7 of February , 2008 at 5:42 am
I grew up in Oregon, one of the two US states in which it’s illegal to pump your own gas. Roadtrips were always extra special, since Dad let my brother and I fill up the ol’ Volvo ourselves. Looks like those days are coming to an end, in the Netherlands anyway, thanks to Dutch inventor Nico van Staveren, who has developed a robot arm that does the fun part for you. The “Tankpitstop” robot is (for any car which it’s been programmed for) able to open the gas flap, unscrew the cap, fill the tank, and then put everything back just the way it was. It doesn’t look like the robot is able to come around and take your credit card, but it’s probably got some sort of laser cannon attachment to ensure that you don’t just drive off. The cost for this tiny extra bit of convince? $111,100… And I bet it’s not going to come programmed with specs for my ‘85 Volvo wagon.
VIA [ Reuters ]
Category: Industrial
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Comment by vicm
Made Friday, 8 of February , 2008 at 12:52 pm
Bet these kinds of automations will take off once in-dash car computer screens become the norm. Rfid could transmit the cars info to the pump robot while you pay inside the car. It’ll make drive-thru ordering easier to :) :) Damn futures too exciting
Comment by peter
Made Saturday, 9 of February , 2008 at 10:55 am
The inventor of this robot isn’t Nico van Staveren but Henk Hofman from Rotec-Engineering: www.rotec.nu