As that is Nationwide Robotics Week, Design Information has been wanting on the advances in robotics in lots of fields, similar to manufacturing and area flight. Additionally, you will have seen information about robots taking fast-food orders, robotic canine, and different fascinating makes use of.
With the use for robotics seemingly left to the creativeness, one would suppose these AI-inspired machines may additionally discover their approach into leisure capabilities, similar to a weddings. That’s what I assumed when a distant relative despatched a video hyperlink to their wedding ceremony a number of years in the past. I figured that some startup firm would have programmed a robotic to make an entrance into the marriage, use synthesized speech to congratulate the fortunate couple, and maybe even be part of them on the dance ground.
Sadly, I used to be fallacious. These “robots” are people outfitted with robotic costumes comprising stilts, LEDs, and helmets and different sturdy however versatile physique armor. They’ll carry out some dancing, shoot cannons of froth, pump their robotic fists within the air, and interact audiences in playful banter, not solely at weddings however at youngsters’s birthday events and different capabilities. They’re further, considerably pricey companies supplied by DJ and video leisure corporations attempting to boost a social occasion.
Right here’s a YouTube video exhibiting one in all these “robots” for rent at a marriage and kids’s celebration. There’s a bunch of corporations providing these robotic impersonators.
I’m certain these “robots” present enjoyable leisure and one thing cool to {photograph} and put up on social media. However to somebody who studies on know-how for a residing, I believe these robotic entertainers are a cop-out. True, there’s some know-how concerned in outfitting their costumes with glitzy lights and giving them the flexibleness to maneuver round. However they’re nonetheless people outfitted in fancy costumes. There’s no programming concerned with getting these “robots” to strut round and work together with the viewers.
Absolutely, know-how has superior sufficient in order that actual robots, maybe humanoid ones, can do a number of the identical issues these impersonators can. If anybody on the market has employed precise robots for these capabilities, please let me know.
