Evan Ackerman / IEEE Spectrum:Q&A with Aaron Saunders, VP at Boston Dynamics, on teaching robots to dance and how that informs the company’s approach to robotics for commercial applicationsA week ago, Boston Dynamics posted a video of Atlas, Spot, and Handle dancing to Do You Love Me.
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Q&A with Aaron Saunders, VP at Boston Dynamics, on teaching robots to dance
Aaron Saunders, Vice President at Boston Dynamics, recently spoke with Evan Ackerman of IEEE Spectrum about the company’s recent video of robots dancing to “Do You Love Me,” and how the project informs the company’s approach to robotics for commercial applications.
Saunders emphasized that the video was not just a fun project, but also an opportunity for the team to work on coordinating the movements of multiple robots in a creative and expressive way. By choreographing the dance, the team was able to explore the capabilities of their robots in a new context and push the boundaries of what they could do.
Saunders also noted that the project was a reflection of Boston Dynamics’ philosophy of creating robots that are not just functional, but also engaging and enjoyable to watch. He believes that robots that can move gracefully and expressively will be more successful in commercial applications, as people will be more likely to want to interact with them.
One of the challenges of creating robots that can dance is programming them to move in a fluid and natural way. Saunders explained that the team used a combination of motion capture and animation techniques to create the movements, and then fine-tuned them to make them as lifelike as possible.
Another challenge was getting the robots to synchronize their movements with each other. This required a lot of trial and error, as the team had to adjust the timing and spacing of the movements until they were in sync.
Saunders also discussed the potential applications of this type of technology in commercial settings. For example, he suggested that robots that can dance could be used to attract customers to a retail store or to entertain guests at a party.
Overall, Saunders emphasized the importance of creativity and experimentation in the development of robots. By pushing the boundaries of what robots can do and exploring new applications for them, Boston Dynamics hopes to create robots that are not just functional, but also enjoyable and engaging to interact with.
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