When you work for Microsoft's Robotics Team, you get access to parts that many people may be unable to access, and when used properly they can create a virtually limitless number of outcomes. Engadget reports one of the outcomes; a robot intended to entertain a dog.
Jordan Correa is one of the employees in Microsoft's Robotics Team, and to his displeasure, his puppy Darwin would be left alone for eight hours a day during a normal working week. With a young animal in the house, it is important to keep it active and healthy, so Correa decided to see how effective a home solution could be. Armed with Microsoft's Robotics Developer Studio, a Kinect, and some parts, Correa went to work on what he calls "DarwinBot".
DarwinBot works with Skype, meaning Correa can simply call the bot's user ID and control it with an Xbox 360 controller. It can also take commands, and launch balls in order to play fetch with Darwin. Perhaps most impressively though, it has an automated treat dispenser as well, in case it is needed. So, DarwinBot is a rather remarkable creation, and Jordan Correa is happy to show his work to the public, going as far as sharing a video of DarwinBot and some of his reasoning for creating it.