[Dprglist] Flamewheel: a "reliable educational robot" that you apparently set fire to...

[Murray Altheim]

I'm kinda interested in seeing DFRobot's response to my comment about
their "Flamewheel" robot, which they promote by setting fire to it.

   https://www.dfrobot.com/blog-571.html
   https://youtu.be/uyXzKd1LB2Q

Rather than repeat I'll just post my comment here:

   "I'm still trying to understand why anyone would promote the idea of
    setting fire to a robot, showing how cool it looks while burning
    accompanied by music, then tell children that you are "professional
    engineers" that "know exactly what you're doing". You clearly don't,
    or at least don't take responsibility for what is clearly a highly
    irresponsible demonstration, knowing that your audience includes
    children. "If it can survive fire, it can survive anything!" is
    basically asking someone to set fire to it. There will be some kid
    out there that will try this at home, now that you've suggested it,
    given you've even named the robot "Flamewheel". Yes, it has nice
    wooden wheels, yes, they're flammable. So are my kitchen chairs. I
    don't set fire to them.

   "And setting fire to this robot is pointless, it has no research value,
    no educational value, no value whatsoever in the field of robotics,
    it proves nothing.

   "Could you explain the logic of why you feel this dangerous
    demonstration was a good idea?"

Am I overreacting? I tried not to use the word "stupid" in my comment.
In the YouTube video it even shows the flaming robot driving over a
pile of scrap paper and setting fire to it. Maybe they could include a
small can of lighter fuel in every order...

Cheers,

Murray

...........................................................................
Murray Altheim <murray18 at altheim dot com>                       = =  ===
http://www.altheim.com/murray/                                     ===  ===
                                                                    = =  ===
     In the evening
     The rice leaves in the garden
     Rustle in the autumn wind
     That blows through my reed hut.
            -- Minamoto no Tsunenobu