Hi, I’m Daniel Thurman

Daniel reviews cyberpunk books, games, and more.

  • Someone Built an “Off-World Bartender” Inspired by Blade Runner

    Here is something a little bit random but very cool. Genius programmer Donald Bell has created what he is calling an “Off-World Bartender.” It is an automated, robotic drink creator powered by a Raspberry Pi computer. This is one of many very cool, very cyberpunk-ish Raspberry Pi projects I’ve seen. But Bell has stated that he is specifically inspired by Blade Runner on this project.

    Calling it the VK-01 Off-World Bartender, it certainly sounds like something that would be found in the Blade Runner universe. It definitely looks like it too. In fact, it looks as though it could have been designed and manufactured right alongside the Voight-Kampff machine.

    This was to be Bell’s entry in an annual robotics competition held in San Fransisco. That even though was unfortunately cancelled during the creation process. But at that point he was too far in to give up and completed it. He decided at that point to share it on Instructables, an online maker community. There you can see every step of the process used to build it. And possibly make your own?

    And while we have not seen robotic bartenders in Blade Runner, we know next to nothing about the off-world colonies, so I guess it’s certainly possible they use something like this out there. Regardless, the Off-World Bartender is pretty cool idea and I’m glad it exists in this world.

    [via Raspberry Pi and Instructables]