Shadowplay: Event Report
February 22, 2008
Posted by Emma in: Ideas | Robots | TrackbackWhat makes a robot lifelike? How do we respond to humanoid technology? What do machines tell us about ourselves?
These were all questions discussed in Shadowplay, today's Creative Technology Network event, lead by freelance Science writer Piers Bizony, and AIB Senior Lecturer, Andrew King.
Shadowplay is a concept for a hybrid puppet/robot performance which will dramatically refine our emotional reactions to machines. Past personifications of robots fall into stereotypes - menacing, emotionless or simply toys - but Shadowplay aims to push the boundaries of aesthetics and audience engagement by introducing complex technology and some psychological trickery.
Taking inspiration from theatre works such as War Horse and large scale public events such as The Sultan's Elephant, Shadowplay will research to what extent stagecraft can fool and human imagination will compensate for endowing an 'intelligent', yet inanimate, object with life.
Today's CTN event brought together a diverse group from academics, students, puppeteers, performance choreographers and technicians, from which a core team has been assembled to take the project forward. The project is in its early stages, so if you feel you have expertise and experience you would like to offer, please get in touch with us and we can put you in contact with the project.
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