The "Beggar Bot" does have a few distinct advantages over its human counterparts. First off, it can often conduct business in areas where begging is not allowed—big money hotspots like shopping malls for example. Plus, it draws a crowd and eliminates the stigma associated with giving money directly to the homeless. In this case, it's almost like putting money in a vending machine.

Although the project has been in development for a number of years, details are scarce. However, it does appear that the robot is made from recycled parts and made available for use by the homeless on a rental basis. Sounds like a decent business venture to me. It would be great for other charity organizations like the Salvation Army, or even for people working menial jobs. Why bust your ass when you can spend a few bucks and have a robot earn a bigger profit for you? [Saso Sedlacek via Botjunkie via Botropolis]

The Post talks to several homeless people and advocates, but Chris, a recovering crack addict, probably has most the stereotype-busting story of all. He works various entry-level jobs and keeps his homelessness a secret from employers (for obvious reasons), but lost a job at a Verizon call center last year when his boss couldn't reliably get in touch with him. Now that he has a cellphone, employers can call him anytime they need an extra hand, and he's even been promoted at one of his jobs, despite being homeless.

Others use the phones to keep up with food stamps and various appointments or to take pictures—a million phones popped out when Michelle Obama worked at a soup kitchen, as pictured above. Many blog as well, with blogs hosted at Streats.tv. Really fascinating, it might change the way you look at the homeless: [Washington Post, Image: Martinez Monsivais/AP]

The project both helps divert materials from landfills and gives the homeless a place to sleep (though I wonder how they breathe under all that plastic). Max won $10,000, a Dell laptop and a trip to Boston. [Design Blog]

That's ok. That's because some of the best inventions there were by homeless guys and crackheads in the urine stained alley where the audition line ran through. There were plenty of them there, since American Inventors holds their auditions on the border of San Francisco's Tenderloin district, known for its...colorful citizens. Can you tell who's homeless, and who's a real inventor?

The best, however, was this "inventor" who had not only a dream of a crystal guitar that would "resonate wildly", but an entire American Inventor Hobo Song, which he sang for us:

–Brian Lam

Here's an easier way to get rid of credit card debt if willful homelessness doesn't sound appealing to you: don't buy what you can't afford, no matter how shiny it is. –Adam Frucci

LA Times [via Neatorama]

Image courtesy of harborareafarmersmarkets.org.

Laptops Give Hope to the Homeless