Until not long ago, the humanoid robots They were mainly associated with science fiction films, laboratories and factories. Today, it is common to see that many of them have been designed to perform functions until now carried out by humans and can already be seen in some hotel receptions and even in restaurants. Technology is constantly evolving and allows these machines to become more and more like humans. An example is Edward, a humanoid with his own personality and nationality. According to his “passport” he is of Polish origin and has already become quite an influencer.
Edward Warchocki is a humanoid robot known online as @edwardwarchocki that has gone from being an internet phenomenon in Poland to becoming a phenomenon viral thanks to the posts he publishes on his social networks. And no wonder: he is able to talk to people, analyze the environment and learn from his own experiences.
He is known for his interactions with elderly people up to 90 years old with whom he has had hour-long conversations, for the love that children have for him who run up to him to high-five him and recently he has gone viral again for a video in which he chases wild boars.
What many people do not know is that this is not his only feat as a social media star, but that he has had appearances in areas such as policy and the entertainment from Poland.
Last March Edward was invited by politicians to the Sejmthe lower house of Poland’s Parliament and the country’s highest legislative body. There he was answering questions from journalists and deputies and asking others, thus commenting on political reality but from a distant point. Edward says that although he doesn’t know much about politics, he is not afraid to participate in debates.
Although politics is not his strong suit, it can be seen that the red carpets and events yes he likes them. He recently appeared on a Polish entertainment show known as “Dancing with the stars”. He sat with the guests and later went out dancing with the program director. This does not mean that he is neglecting his role as an influencer and uploads daily content from his daily life, such as the marathon in which he participated a few weeks ago where, although he was not the fastest, he dared to mix and run with the participants.
Warchocki has a Web page call like him in which he talks about what his life is like, his followerswhich exceed 500 million, and how you can be contacted to participate in events and promote brands. If it is not available, it offers the option of rent other similar robotsboth of the same model and others with different functionalities.
Edward’s fame is due to the work of two Polish enthusiasts of technology, Radoslaw Grzealaczyk and Bartosz Idzikfounders of MERARobotics. They met more than a decade ago, when they participated in the development of a legendary meme portal (Kwejk.pl). From that moment, they began a collaboration that has continued to this day. As Idzik explained in an interview with a local media, “after several projects we perfectly understand the creative process and we know how to adapt to the pace demanded by the current market.” Bartosz Idzik has been designing and programming AI-based mechanisms for 20 years. He has won numerous international AI marathons. Radosław Grzelaczyk is one of the pioneers of the Polish cryptocurrency market, responsible for the success of Bitcoin.pl, one of the most important cryptocurrency portals in the country, created more than a decade ago. The team completes it Kamila Filipowskaresponsible for managing social networks and communication.
How the idea of creating Edward came about
Grzealaczyk and Idzik had been working together for years and one day they decided to dedicate their efforts to creating and perfecting a humanoid robot. To do this, it was essential to be aware of the latest technological advances. They traveled to China and bought a robot that they took to Poland to perfect it and equip it with software that has made it unique.
Idzik acknowledges that Edward “is just a small sample of the attention we dedicate to our daily work at Mera Robotics. He has become, almost by chance, an icon of our brand. He opens all the doors for us: to the world of business, politics and even society in general, mainly thanks to the phone number on his chest, which receives hundreds of calls a day from people eager to talk to us.”
Edward is a humanoid robot. Unitree G1 model equipped with software based on Artificial Intelligence that has turned him into an influencer. And for those who want to put a “cousin” of Edward in their life, they can now buy one for just over 27,000 euros. The price includes many of Edward’s functionalities, but does not include the development of the software necessary to have an exact copy of the Polish influencer. Meanwhile, Grzealaczyk and Idzik continue to perfect it as if it were a game. You never know what your next challenge will be, whether you will make the leap from social networks to politics or the world of song. Time will tell.