Interviews on local NBC (KSDK) and Fox affiliates helped get the 42nd Annual Builders St. Louis Home and Garden Show off to a rockin’ good start.
The day before the show, I journeyed to the KSDK studio to be on the “Show Me St. Louis” morning news show. I brought along a few of my exhibits — Aibo, the robot dog; a Yamaha wireless turntable; and a prototype surveillance drone. Aibo did a great job monopolizing the attention of my host and probably the audience as well. You can watch the clip here.
On the morning before the show, I visited the studios of FOX 2 with a different set of products, including a Fridge Cam that tells you from an app on your phone what’s inside the fridge, a Parcel Guard mailbox that deters porch piracy, and Brilliant smart lighting that can control your entire house.
During the show, I gave several presentations each day about the infiltration of home robots. I was joined on the dais by my NAO robot, who gave most of the presentation. Jibo entertained the crowd with some witticisms and turned off the lights. Aibo acted out on stage, knocking over NAO in one instance. Alexa was on hand, listening intently for her name to be called. The group bemoaned the absence of their friend Automower, the Husqvarna robot who had been part of the presentation the year before.
Crowds at the show, and the exhibit, were strong, despite the fact that Garth Brooks was performing next door on the Saturday night of the show. Several people stopped by the booth who had decided to make a day of it — they visited the home and garden show in the afternoon and went to the concert that night. The St. Louis Home Show is one of the largest in the country, taking up virtually all the exhibit space in America’s Center.