These Urban Robots Measure Citizen Happiness Throughout the Summer

The city of Vienna recently deployed a series of whimsical urban robots, which have been designed to collect behavioral data about citizens. These smart bots will work to accumulate data and information that can help explain seasonal changes in community sentiment, emotions and social phenomena.The robot developers explain that the aim of the project is to "catch the summery vibes of Vienna."

The urban robots are called 'Summer Scouts' and they contain seven smart sensors for measuring environmental factors and other resources. The sensors are strategically placed around the city and work by collecting information on everything from air quality to wildlife vibrancy. The information collected is then sent to the city headquarters in order to determine whether the spirit of the summer season has officially arrived.