Adafruit eyes on a Sphero RVR … and some historic cars that are “alive” … @adafruit @sphero

Adam from Sphero stopped by Adafruit last week and we now have a Sphero RVR we’re tinkering around with! Here’s a quick vid of some Monster M4sk eyes on the RVR.

We’ll have more about the Sphero RVR soon, it’s a great bot’.

SO! We had to look up what cars in the past had life-like features (mostly eyes), here’s a few we remembered, post yours in the comments!

Wonderbug –

Wonderbug is a segment of the first and second season of the American television series The Krofft Supershow, from 1976 to 1978. It was shot in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

Wonderbug’s alter ego “Schlepcar” (so named due to its personalized California license plate “SCHLEP”) was an old, beat up, conglomeration of several junked cars that looked like a rusty dune buggy. Like Herbie of Disney movie fame, Schlepcar was alive and could drive itself, and could also talk in a mumbling voice. It was found in a junk yard by teenagers Barry Buntrock (David Levy), C.C. McNamara (John Anthony Bailey) and Susan Talbot (Carol Anne Seflinger). Schlepcar transformed into the shiny metal-flake orange Wonderbug whenever a magic horn (which played the bugle call for “cavalry charge”) was sounded. In his Wonderbug identity, Schlepcar had the power of flight and was able to help the three teens capture crooks and prevent wrongdoing.

Sittin’ in a junkyard, waitin’ to be ground up is a pile of cars.
Lookin’ for an old car. Found a funny Schlepcar. Let’s make him ours.
Found a magic horn. A new car was born.
The toughest of the toughest, super cars.

Wonderbug, Wonderbug, Wonderbug, Wonderbug
Faster than fast, smarter than smart, Wonderbug

When you hear the horn, help is on the way
So clap your hands, hip hip hooray!
For the Wonderbug, the wonderful Wonderbug!

Speed Buggy –

Speed Buggy is an American animated television series, produced by Hanna-Barbera, which originally aired for one season on CBS from September 8, 1973, to December 22, 1973. With the voices of Mel Blanc, Michael Bell, Arlene Golonka and Phil Luther Jr., the show follows an orange anthropomorphic dune buggy who alongside teenagers Debbie, Mark, and Tinker, solves mysteries while participating in racing competitions around the world. The series was produced by Iwao Takamoto, executive produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and directed by Charles A. Nichols.

The series was originally developed under the working titles Speed Bug and Speed Buggs before it was settled as Speed Buggy. Takamoto was less involved with the series due to the trust he had for storyboard and animation artist Bob Singer. The concept for the show was inspired by the 1968 Walt Disney Pictures film The Love Bug and the Speed Racer anime franchise. Several of the storylines and plots originated on Hanna-Barbera’s other animated series Josie and the Pussycats.