Meet the sun-chasing robot with a plant on its back

Raise your hand if you thought that the singularity would be led by a six-legged robot plant.

This unique, um, creature is tasked with looking after the succulent on its back, chasing the sunlight as needed, moving to the shade when it’s had enough and doing a little angry dance when it needs water.

Hexa is an agile, six-legged robot designed by Chinese roboticist Tianqi sun and his company Vincross—plant not included. The robot is, however, equipped with infrared sensors and a 720p camera with night vision, so Sun modified the critter to carry greenery on its back in place of its plastic shell, serving as its caretaker. The little robot even interacts with humans if they come close, extending its motorized arms out or squatting up and down.

Sun said in a blog post that the idea was inspired by seeing a dead sunflower in the window of an exhibition last year, spurring him to think of a creative—if slightly disturbing—fix. The goal is to give plants a bit more autonomy, overcoming their static nature in favor of better adapting to their environments.

Some people have called the robot “adorable,” and while this particular author happens to think that couldn’t be further from the truth, we can all just be thankful that Hexa is chasing the sunlight instead of chasing you.

Via: Designboom, The Verge