A robot that balances on a ballOh Japan, you never disappoint in the robot department. This one in particular may look a little plain compared to the femme bots in Shinjuku or a $1.25 million giant robot, but it’s still really cool. Created by two students at Tohoku Gakuin University in Japan, this little guy is able to perfectly balance on a ball while carrying a load and moving.

▼   The robot maintains its balance thanks to a ball driving mechanism.スクリーンショット 2013-05-01 4.54.56 PM

▼   Once the robot is balanced on top of a ball, it can be controlled using a remote.スクリーンショット 2013-05-01 4.57.14 PM

▼   A different setting commands the robot to return to its original position if disturbed.スクリーンショット 2013-05-01 4.57.28 PM

▼   Passive mode allows the user to freely maneuver the robot.スクリーンショット 2013-05-01 4.57.41 PM

▼   Passive cooperation mode turns the robot into a second pair of hands.スクリーンショット 2013-05-01 4.56.10 PM

▼   The robots can even cooperate together.スクリーンショット 2013-05-01 4.58.12 PM

▼  Check out this incredibly balanced robot in action.

The video was uploaded two years ago but is still steadily receiving comments. Here are a few:

I would like to make a chair out of this

I want this thing to serve me drinks and hors ‘dourves.

They should make cars out of these! Driving would be so much easier.

Come here robot and hold my beer…

Can you sit on it?

Oh man, the future is going to be AWESOME!

Yes, my friend, the future is going to be awesome. And if the above YouTube comments are any indication, most people feel their modern beverage procurement methods and sitting options to be lacking. Here’s to Japan and these young robot inventors…and here’s to hoping that one day we’ll all have our very own robot butler to hold our beer.

Source: Kaigai no Hanou

Image: ieee spectrum