Design of the Week: Robot Drinky

By on December 27th, 2015 in Design

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This week’s selection is the amazingly lifelike “Robot Drinky” by Korea-based Euchan Park. 

To tell the truth, we really don’t know much about this mysterious 3D model. But we can tell you it’s an amazing animatronic drinking buddy! 

The device will carefully raise a shot glass of your (or its) favorite beverage and toss it back like your best buddy. Watch the video below to observe the very lifelike movements. 

The Robot Drinky is a combination of electronics and 3D printed parts, or so it appears, and there’s not that many parts. The true magic of this machine is the software that drives the lifelike movements. 

We say this is a “mysterious” device because we really don’t know much about it. There’s a video and a Facebook post about this design, and that’s about it. We don’t know specifically how it was made and with what equipment or techniques. We do know that Park plans to post the design files – somewhere – but we we don’t know where, when or if that’s taken place. Perhaps detective-leaning readers might be able to source these files. 

We do know Park’s inspiration for this design. He explains (translated): 

On Christmas in 2012, I drank Soju(Korean alcohol) alone because I had no girl friend at that time. Drinking alone was definitely terrible!! so I couldn’t drink anymore.

Lastly, I put an extra glass in front of me and poured Soju into it. And then, I cheered by myself with the glass of Soju, as though there was someone in front of me.

There it is: 3D printing solving real-world problems. Drinking problems. 

Via YouTube and Facebook

By Kerry Stevenson

Kerry Stevenson, aka "General Fabb" has written over 8,000 stories on 3D printing at Fabbaloo since he launched the venture in 2007, with an intention to promote and grow the incredible technology of 3D printing across the world. So far, it seems to be working!