Quartet Project showcases robotic dance partner

Why bother Dancing with the Stars when you can bust a move with your very own trained robot? Sure, we've seen robots teaching humans and even robotic ballroom partners before, but the Quartet Project seeks to integrate robots into dance by using sensors to create a fairly intelligent and dynamic counterpart. Dubbed an "investigation into the kineasthetics of music," the live stage show melds dance, music, and a load of sensors into a new form of entertainment where the human dancer grooves to the music, only to be followed and "danced with" by a robot that senses its surroundings. Finally assembled after years of collaboration from experts in art, music, biomedicine, computational science, 3D animation, and motion control, the "mechanical and live elements" came together for a series of recent shows in the Great Hall at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Unfortunately, we weren't there to witness the next metallic superstar showing its stuff, but we're fairly confident seeing a man-made terpsichorean breakin' a leg was a tad more exciting than listening to the Bacterial Orchestra.

[Via MAKE]

[ForumMaster @ Feb 21st 2007 12:54PM]

doesn't look very comfortable...i wonder how effective it is.

[Brian @ Feb 21st 2007 12:59PM]

well, it beats a broom.
At least this one will smack you around if you fail, looks like it's got her in some kind of death grip.
who's leading who now beyatch...

[Gordy @ Feb 21st 2007 1:01PM]

Considering her body position, that machine better stand out this 'dance'.

[david @ Feb 21st 2007 2:22PM]

reminds me of that NASA tactile sensitive phallus shaped robot with the ballerina dancer a while back.....

http://www.engadget.com/2005/06/15/nasas-lumelsky-demos-robo-skin-flick/

[Kyrra @ Feb 21st 2007 2:25PM]

I'm just waiting for the robot to push her to the floor and start hitting here. (I watch too many movies)

[pcbuilderchris @ Feb 21st 2007 4:12PM]

you can let me go now


NO! PLEASE LET ME GO!


ah! i cant reach the cord

I wouldn't do that if i were you i have a built in UPS

[J. Evans Turner @ Feb 22nd 2007 10:12AM]

I, for one, welcome our robotic masters-...

...aw, forget it! It's already too late. Why couldn't they see this coming?!