spidercrab

SpiderCrab is concerned with design development for a robotic agent, using models and theories of performance. The focus is on ways that designers and performers work together as an interdisciplinary team. It will build and experiment with two prototypes for an originally-conceived robotic agent. The eventual 6-limbed, 2-metre high SpiderCrab robot will be a multi-sensorial mediation between architectural environment and dancing partner. A key objective will be for the human agent interacting with SpiderCrab to experience performative merging. A key novelty at this phase will be to integrate state of the art techniques for visual object detection and tracking into the body of the SpiderCrab. The robot will have pseudo-human characteristics including precoil and recoil in gesture, learning, aesthetic choice, redundant movement, mood and physical temperament. Two developmental processes will be realised: (1) a virtual realisation of SpiderCrab, (2) a concrete realisation of one prototype limb. Both realisations will be confined to the visual sensorium, although this will be processed in terms of both gestalt and proxemic data. While SpiderCrab will be fully realised beyond the present prototyping project, the robot itself will constitute an objectile, setting continued evolutionary challenges to software design, robot engineering, performance specialists and human agents.