Arena comprises 8 small robots who are trying to become better dancers. The audience is invited to manipulate some of the robots by grabbing them and moving them around with their hands. The AI formulates an answer to this input, creating a new dance. The generated choreography can be voted on in a next installation, so the AI can understand what movements work best. Another robot can be frozen with a button whenever it reaches an interesting position. These snap-shots form the basis of new AI-choreography inspired by the audience. Some robots are only to be observed, like Runner, a robot that slowly learns how to run. At first he makes random movements, while recording the distance he travels. By recombining and improving these steps he slowly starts to run faster and faster.
Credits
Concept and creation: Ugo Dehaes
Musician: Roland Luyten
Socials: H[art]wood
Robots used
A series of 8 distinct robots that are each trying to dance in their own manner. They range from parallel robotic arms that mirror each other’s movements, to a prehensile tail with the texture of a mop, to a set of legs that is attempting to walk.
