Technology Nirvana

In the far-out, sci-fi future of 2009, robots are doing some pretty amazing things, like capturing prowlers, assembling communications networks, and playing Rock / Paper / Scissors. Now, with a little help from RoBe:Do and Twitter, robotics has achieved what may be its crowning achievement: couch-side popcorn delivery. Coppa is a $1,649 software-ready robot (you supply the machine's netbook brain) that arrives with native support for a plethora of languages and tools (including C / C++ / C#, Flash AS3, Java,Microsoft Robotics Studio, .NET, and Visual Basic), and ships with a 12V rechargeable battery, autofocus webcam, and a sonar system. Optional accessories include motion, heat, and humidity sensors, and servo-driven grabbing actuators. The video below shows one such unit that's been programmed to take popcorn orders via-Twitter, timed to deliver the goods when the operator arrives home from work. Couch surfing may never be the same.

[Via SlashGear]