Tag: robot

Categories
Featured Living Pets

Don’t Forget Fido and Felix our Pet Gift Guide

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide

Does one really need to buy your dog a remote motorized car, or your cat a robotic litter box, do they even care if they receive these luxury items?

Well, I don’t know about your pets but Downtown’s Editor in Chief’s Cat Social Media Editor Petey and our CEO’s dog and our all-time favorite Pawblisher, Barclay certainly would say yes, to this question if they, in fact, had the capacity to speak.

 

 Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
Downtown’s Furry Pawblisher Barclay
Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
Downtown’s Feline Social Media Editor Petey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barclay and Petey researched many pet holiday gifts for your oh so special furry friend. Enjoy!

Hey Hoomans, let’s not mess around. This carrier is for the most finicky fur-parent. The Louis Vuitton carrier in Monogram canvas is adapted to small pets and particularly resistant to water and scratches. It is equipped with a breathable mesh window and zip-around closure.

– Monogram canvas, cross-grain rounded leather handles, washable lining
– Golden brass pieces
– Double zip-around closure
– Breathable side mesh with roll-up flap

 

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide

 

 

Parisian Series Airline Approved Soft Sided Pet Carrier. One of Barclay’s 2019 favorite carriers. Mr. Peanuts is a #PETA certified cruelty-free lifestyle brand with a purposeful mission statement promoting animal welfare. All of their products are produced ethically including the faux leatherette and fleece bedding pads incorporated into our totes. They actively donate to and fund rescues, shelters, and animal welfare organizations, along with promoting our Pay a Shelter Pet Forward program that helps them fund these activities.

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
Mr. Peanuts

 

Your pet will sleep like a lamb in this comfy Plaid Sherpa Rectangle pet. Harry Barker created a distinctive line of pet products that offer style, versatility and quality craftsmanship, all at an affordable price. They sell products that are beautiful, functional and eco-friendly—products that strengthen the relationship between people, their pets & the environment. This pet bed will give Fido or Felix lots of comfy and cozy nights, taking their rest to a whole new level, inspiring hours of snuggling on even the chilliest of winter days.

 

 

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
Harry Barker

 

Our Pawblisher Barclay is enamored with this toy. What’s more fun than chasing squirrels at the park? Chasing squirrels at home, of course! Finally, there’s a toy version of your pup’s favorite pastime. Just stuff the squeaky squirrels in the soft tree trunk, and watch your dog pull them out one by one. To keep the game going, just stuff them in again and again. These squirrels love to play!

 

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
Outward Hound

A subscription for your favorite feline friend from KitNipBox. These boxes contain the best high-quality cat toys, all-natural treats, and other fun, healthy cat products. We fell in love with this brand for our very own feline, Petey. KitNipBox supports over 100 animal welfare organizations nationwide. Each month, we donate a portion of our proceeds and products to shelters, rescues, TNR efforts, and a variety of other feline welfare causes.

 

 

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
KitNipBox

U-pet Bubble Pet Travel Backpack Carriers Green. Felix will go everywhere with you and be able to see all the knitters in the outside world. Besides all the functions of the regular pet carriers, u-pet’s patent-pending revolutionary semi-sphere window design. Mobile pet bed and car seat two in one approved on most major airlines.

 

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
U-pet

 

Our editors feel in love with Cat Cave Co, they are passionate about all furry friends, not just cats. They ensure that all our wool is ethically sourced from New Zealand. Sheep shearing must be practiced for the health, hygiene, and wellbeing of each sheep. As stated in the Official Statement released by The American Society of Animal Science Board of Directors.

 

 

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
Cat Cave Co

 

 

We have witnessed pets in their own motorized cars so Barclay and Petey thought we would share some of their favorite options.

 

 

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
Luigi Maestro

 

This officially licensed Bentley EXP 12 ride-on is designed just like the real thing, so your little driver can ride around in only the finest of toddler vehicles. Made with working LED headlights, a horn and more, and drives like a real car with a foot pedal accelerator; switches between 2 speeds (high & low) with a thrilling 3 mph max speed

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide
Bentley EXP from Amazon

 

 

What, no more scooping… Litter-Robot 3 is the highest-rated automatic, self-cleaning litter box for cats. Never scoop cat litter again while giving your kitty a clean bed of litter for each use. Petey is recommending this one for sure!

Don't Forget Fido and Felix Gift Guide

There you have it, we went all out to bring you some barking ideas for you meowing Christmas shopping days!

Categories
Dining Featured News Technology Wellness

Can Froyo Robots Stop the #icecreamchallenge?

Froyo robots might be able to stop the madness.
Photo courtesy of pexels.

July 2019 marked the first arrests of ice cream lickers across the US. Charges can result in fines or even jail time. But this isn’t part of some anti-dairy government conspiracy. It’s a response to the #icecreamchallenge, where dozens of people have filmed themselves opening a carton of ice cream in a store, licking the ice cream, and then replacing it in the freezer. Consequences for lickers are severe, though younger perpetrators aren’t likely to remember why. Stores are searching for solutions. Reis and Irvy’s, a subsidiary of Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, thinks it has a solution.

R&I sells the world’s first fully-automatic robotic frozen dessert vending kiosk. Or, as they like to call it, a “Froyo Robot.” In addition to frozen yogurt, the robots serve ice cream, gelato, and sorbet, with a selection of six different toppings. “Our unattended robots eliminate the need for costly rent and labor, significantly reduce food safety concerns, and are capable of operating 24-hours a day,” says Reis & Irvy’s Spokesperson Corinne Costello.

The reason the #icecreamchallenge went on for as long as it did, says Costello, was a lack of supervision and easy access to the product. “The ice cream is generally at the back of the store,” she says, “and there are often not that many employees stationed there… Additionally, not all brands have plastic coverings or seals, making it easy for anyone who wants to quickly lick a pint and put it back.” 

Reis and Irvy’s claims that their Froyo Robot is the world’s first fully-automated robotic frozen dessert vending kiosk. Photo courtesy of Reis and Irvy’s.

The froyo robot, she says, removes those risks. It operates 24 hours a day, and customers never have access to serving mechanisms. Further, franchise owners undergo a two-day training period, learning to properly disassemble and clean the robot. This maintenance process must be performed at least once a week. If it is not cleaned, it will shut down and send alerts to the company and franchisee. Franchisees must also obtain a Food Handler’s Permit.

Do we need to remove humans from the future of ice cream? Not likely, though some consumer warning labels fail to inspire confidence. Will a froyo robot help me feel more confident that nobody has licked my ice cream before I do? Or that the person scooping my ice cream washed their hands? Yes, it will. Unfortunately, as of right now, one would have to travel to Queens College to experience that peace of mind. A representative for Reis and Irvy’s has assured me that the franchise is always expanding. 

Categories
Uncategorized

JIBO To The Rescue

jibo

In today’s fast-paced society, everyone could use an extra pair of hands or a personal assistant. Luckily JIBO Inc. has created a device to provide just that. JIBO, a deemed the “Family Robot,” can help with simple daily tasks like sending messages and controlling home lighting systems. This new interactive robot was conceptualized by Founder and CEO Cynthia Breazeal, who also serves as a Pioneer of Social Robotics, and works as a professor at MIT. Along with her team, Breazeal has created this 11 inch tall, 6 pound aluminum robot, capable of turning a full 360 degrees. JIBO also comes with a High-Definition LCD touchscreen, two cameras, 2 speakers and full body touch sensors.

Once connected to your wifi, JIBO can perform a myriad of tasks: it can jot down reminders, set alarms, Skype with friends and family, and even read stories to your children. And after syncing JIBO with your phone’s Bluetooth, it will be able to read messages and emails from your phone, call your contacts, play voicemails and even send photos, all using voice command. JIBO is so advanced that it can recognize unique faces and greet each user personally.

With its 360 degree turning capabilities as well as microphone, JIBO can hear your command anywhere in the room. It can also assist Skype phone calls while the user is multitasking; it will track your face and turn while you move around a room. JIBO can even use its 360-degree microphone to find you when you say “JIBO take a photo” and will snap a shot once it senses that everyone is smiling.

JIBO is a perfect companion for anyone, from children to seniors. It can entertain kids with stories and games; adults can use JIBO to help alleviate stress by playing reminders and messages.

You can now pre-order the interactive robot, Home Edition for $499. The Developer Edition along with JIBOAlive SDK starts at $599. JIBOs will be shipping out around late 2015, but pre-orders are running out fast so snag yours today.

-Kamil Sokolowski