In the last few weeks, we have seen an interesting parallel between modern technology and a centuries old legend of the "Pied Piper."  With it's sleek lines and unimposing stature, VGo turns heads wherever it goes, and children are often the most intrigued by the robotic device.  

Our CEO, Peter Vicars, was toting along his VGo down the street on his way to a meeting in Boston one morning when he was bombarded by questions from kids in a school yard. "Hey mister, what's that?" called the kids.  Peter turned to see that he - or more accurately, VGo - had attracted quite a following.  "I felt like the Pied Piper," he told us when he arrived at the office.  

"There was a rustling,
that seemed like a bustling
Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling,
small feet were pattering, wooden shoes clattering,
Little hands clapping and little tongues chattering."
- (An excerpt from ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’)

This happened again a week later.  Peter just shook his head and laughed,  "Just like the 'Pied Piper."

Then a few days later, an article by NewsChannel 25 brought us a story about how Baylor University is using a VGo to promote the arts:

"We're planning to provide content and services from Baylor, but the robot could be used in various venues," [Tim] Logan, [assistant vice president of the Electronic Library at Baylor University] said. "Our ideas for Baylor locations include virtual tours of Armstrong Browning Library, The Texas Collection and possibly Mayborn Museum Complex, for starters. The robot could provide access to resources that many schools don't have."

Illustrations and a stained-glass window inspired by Robert Browning's poem "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" are among the items to be featured in the Armstrong Browning Library tour.  

Who would have thought you could find a connection between a work by Robert Browning, and our own VGo? 

To read more about how Baylor University is using VGo, please see the articles from The Baylor Lariat and Robotics Trends.