Robot runs with the runner

Experts at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology have created a 'mini-plane' with jogging functionality. The new device, called Joggobot, is believed to help keep joggers healthy, especially if they do not have a companion on the run.

Joggobot is designed with two modes: 'companion' - closely follow the running speed of the owner, and 'trainer' - encourages the owner to accelerate step by step. Thanks to its 4 small propeller blades, it can fly forward and reach half a meter higher than the human head. But users can also reset Joggobot's program through a smartphone application that controls the distance to the user and its height relative to the ground. A small Joggobot camera will 'track' the orange and blue marks on the owner's t-shirt to make sure both 'athletes' are always together. If the runner suddenly turns to another road or is no longer in Joggobot's view, the device will automatically land.

In the prototype product trials, the team found that Joggobot's 'coaching' was the most productive 'because it pushed you to break your own speed limits . ' Experts are currently finishing the device to market in the shortest time.