RoboThespian is an interactive robot created by Engineered Arts in England.
It is described as a humanoid, which means it was meant to
look like a person.
The initial version of the robot was released in 2005, with
improvements following in 2007, 2010, and 2014.
The robot is human-sized, with a plastic face, metal arms,
and legs that can move in a variety of directions.
With its digital voice, the robot's video camera eyes can
track a person's movements and infer his or her age and mood.
All RoboThespians, according to Engineered Arts' website,
come with a touchscreen that enables users to personalize and manage their
experience with the robot, including the ability to animate it and modify its
language.
Users may also operate it remotely via a tablet, however
since the robot can be preprogrammed, no live operator is necessary.
RoboThespian was created to engage with people in public
places including colleges, museums, hotels, trade events, and exhibits.
The robot is utilized as a tour guide in venues like science
museums.
It can scan QR codes, identify facial expressions, react to
gestures, and communicate with people through a touchscreen kiosk.
RoboThespian may also amuse in addition to these practical
uses.
It's jam-packed with songs, gestures, welcomes, and first
impressions.
RoboThespian has also performed in front of an audience.
It has the ability to sing, dance, perform, read from a
script, and communicate with emotion.
It can respond to audiences and forecast their emotions
since it is equipped with cameras and face recognition.
According to Engineered Arts, it may have a "vast
variety of facial expression" as an actor and "can be precisely
displayed with the delicate subtlety, generally only achieved by human
performers" (Engineered Arts 2017).
During the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2015, the drama
Spillikin had its world debut at the Pleasance Theatre.
In a love tale about a husband who constructs a robot for
his wife to keep her company after he dies, RoboThespian appeared with four
human performers.
The play toured the United Kingdom from 2016 to 2017, receiving
critical praise.
Companies who purchase a RoboThespian may tailor the robot's
content to meet their specific requirements.
The appearance of the robot's face and other design elements
may be changed.
It can feature a projected face, grippable hands, and
moveable legs.
RoboThespians are now placed at NASA Kennedy Center in the
United States, the National Science and Technology Museum in Spain, and the
Copernicus Science Centre in Poland, among others.
University of Central Florida, University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill, University College London, and University of Barcelona are
among the academic institutions where the robot may be found.
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You may also want to read more about Artificial Intelligence here.
See also:
Autonomous and Semiautonomous Systems; Ishiguro, Hiroshi.
References & Further Reading:
Engineered Arts. 2017. “RoboThespian.” Engineered Arts Limited. www.engineeredarts.co.uk.
Hickey, Shane. 2014. “RoboThespian: The First Commercial Robot That Behaves Like a Person.” The Guardian, August 17, 2014. www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/aug/17/robothespian-engineered-arts-robot-human-behaviour.
