Robo-bop: Dancing robots set to be science festival hit

Published on 03/04/2012 17:08

THEY may look like characters from a Hollywood science fiction flick, but these mini humanoid robots are very much science fact - and are set to be among the main attractions at this year’s Edinburgh International Science Festival.

While robots are not renowned for their graceful movements, these five robotic devices proved that wrong today with a preview of their choreographed dance routine to music.

The show is just part of the showcases devised by the University of Edinburgh’s School of Informatics to demonstrate some of the pioneering work they are doing to make robotic movement more agile.

Professor Sethu Vijayakumar, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Informatics, said: “We are developing robots that offer the best of both worlds – the reliability of automation combined with flexible and sophisticated decision-making of humans.

“We’re meeting the huge challenges involved in taking robotics to the next level by exploiting advances in data driven machine learning. The result is more precise, powerful, safer robots that draw inspiration from the way humans think and move.”

• The robotic devices will be on show between 4 and 7 April at the Festival’s InMotion event in the National Museum of Scotland. The mini humanoid robot dance routine, EDINferno, will take place in the Grand Gallery on Friday 6th April at 2.30pm and 3.45pm and on Saturday 7 April at 11.45am and 3.30pm.