8mo ago

I’m in a park. The grass is being mown by a robot.

We thought the rider fell off or something and it was going to crash. Then it turned and kept mowing. Park Roomba!

Another picture:

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213 comments

I think I would have a genuinely hard time not messing with this or trying to ride it. Both which are objectively terrible ideas nonetheless it feels really tempting.
- Or hacking it to mow a symbol of "I thought what I'd do was I'd become one of those deaf mutes".
  
  I wonder if it is CAN bus? I bet it is, maybe it even has an unsecured OBD port. It might be super easy to get into its computer. If this would let you turn off or change its wireless connection you could have full control. If nothing I am sure this would mess with the GPS map and get it to do some weird mowing.
  If it does have an OBD port they make over the counter wifi and Bluetooth dongle. So all you would do is give it an unexpected obstacle, wait for it to pause and pop the dongle in.
  
  Not sure on these larger industrial mowers, but the little WORX robot mower I have does have a programming port open for firmware updates. There's been some custom firmwares out there; no need for signed code or anything like that.
  
  I really wouldn't be surprised if this thing is unsecured. I bet the hardest thing is accessing a port while it is running.
- Seeing this picture, my first instinct was to tell op to stand in front of it. Worst that happens is an easy paycheck.
  Run and grab a package of hotdogs and we can finally get the answer to an age old question.
  Put a pile of sticks halfway between a mowed area and an area that hasn't been cut.
  Draw a line right in the middle of the camera lense? If that doesn't do anything then a stick person?
  
  Worst that happens is an easy paycheck.
  I would say worse that happens is a lawn mowing robot runs over me and I end up in the ICU.
  
  And then you have every right to sue the beejezus outta whoever unleashed a robot into public that has super fast spinning knives but no obstacle avoidance programming.
  
  Cool. You get cut to ribbons by a lawn mower. I have enough health problems as it is.
  
  Or just don't vandalise government property which is there to make life better.
  
  I mean to be fair these are more intrusive thought type things. I definitely probably would never actually do anything like that...

213 comments