Number Five is alive

National Love Your Robot day should also pay honor to a gentle robot soul from the 80s. An experimental military robot, Number Five (of Short Circuit fame) is struck by lightning that gives him humanlike self-awareness and free will. Few then can match 5’s tenacity to survive with a nonviolent bent … as well as a childlike appreciation of the beauty of small things in life. After a close call with military authorities, 5 comes to be known as Johnny Five to his human friends Stephanie and Newton — triumphing over adversity in true introspective form.

Special equipment: Stereoscopic cameras, belt propulsion, scanning systems, laser-based weaponry, twin humanoid arms, third gripper and universal-tool arm with rotor device, claw, soldering iron and welding attachment, lock pick, drill, and screwdriver.

Related working designs: Though iRobot recently sold its Defense and Security business, some of its designs were known for their resemblance to Johnny Five.

NEXT: Design World’s 3000 …