Although it was made several years ago, Pawel Hynek’s 2006 CG image, dubbed “Obsolete,” is a funny portrayal of where we’re heading. It shows a homeless, purposeless robot, promising data processing in exchange for spare energy.

In a way, I feel like he represents the collection of nonfunctional computers, cassette tapes and Nintendo consoles growing in all of our basements… although if one of those started begging me for help, I’m not sure I even have the tools anymore to fix them (unless you count duct tape). Cory Doctorow of Boing Boing recalls a chapter from Ian McDonald’s “The Broken Land” when he looks at the scene, created with 3ds Max and V-Ray. I’m reminded of the scene from A.I. Artificial Intelligence of the monster-truck-rally-type flesh fair, where they demolish older-generation robots for sport.