LONDON, United Kingdom. Robots who can act and entertain are proving big business for an engineering firm from Cornwall.
Engineered Arts have developed machines programmed with a personality, robots which can talk, dance and even sing.
Will Jackson, director at Engineered Arts, said they make robots with human characteristics which are so advanced they can stand in for people.
“We’re interested in robots that somehow reflect on the human condition,” he said.
“Can you make a piece of machinery that people will accept as having some kind of will or ambition or intention?
“That is what it’s all about.
“So there’s a creative side to it and there’s also a very complicated engineering side to it, because actually making a machine which actually behaves like a person is fantastically difficult.”
Design and production engineer Marcus Hold said the robots can be fully interactive and have been supplied to visitor attractions, science museums and businesses all over the world.
He said: “Here we build and develop humanoid robots for interaction with people…the robots can talk to you about anything.
“We make them as friendly and engaging as possible so they understand a little bit about you; your age, your gender, your mood and respond to that accordingly. We make robots with a sense of humour.”
One such robot – RoboThespian – is so advanced it recently secured a starring role in a play at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
The play, Spillikin, looks 15 years into the future when the harsh reality of an ageing population means society turns to technology for support and robots become carers and partners.
The writer and director of Spillikin, John Welch, told Sky News Spillikin plays on people’s concerns about the rapid advances in robot technology.
“There are people who are very worried about it and who might think it was an affront to human dignity, to be looked after and cared for by a robot,” he said.
“But the experiments that have been run so far…with smaller, more pet like robots have been very successful apparently.
“So it’s all out there, it’s all up for grabs.”
Robo thespians will never forget their lines but actress Helen Ryan says there are definitely disadvantages to having a robotic co-star.
“I’ve added one thing to animals and children – robots.
“Don’t ever work with them because it’s terrifying. You’re totally dependent.” she said.
“Whereas with another human being you do a lot of improvisation, you get through it.”
Credit: Sky News
