Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Families are being given the chance to get up close to a range of robots this Easter and find out more about how they work, what they can do and how they can help people.
The event is part of a range of activities running throughout the Easter holidays at Broadway cinema and will feature robots from the 糖心原创’s new as well as Lego creations and circus themed technology.
The Boston Dynamics robot dog ‘spot’ will be entertaining visitors and computer scientists will be on hand to explain how the robots work and how they might be used to work alongside and help people with tasks in the future.
There will also be workshops from Makers of Imaginary Worlds who will be displaying their never-ending robot dancer (NED). NED is a robotic contraption that is inspired by the circus. It is inquisitive and excited to play and dance with anyone in its sight. The blue feathers on its arm gently sway and imitate its movements and interaction. NED, the never-ending dancer communicates by imitating and encouraging children to follow and dance.
Researchers from Computer Science will also be running sessions with the Inspire Foundation to help visitors build an interactive LEGO Mindstorms robot. Visitors will learn what robots are, how they work, learn about visual coding and then have the opportunity to build their own robot.
Research being undertaken at the Cobot Maker Space is exploring how humans and robots can interact with each other, so taking them into a public entertainment space like Broadway will be really interesting. It鈥檚 also a fun way to introduce people to the idea of interacting with robots and to the idea of robots becoming part of everyday scenarios like going to the cinema.
The new is on Innovation Park on Jubilee campus and is designed to provide a dedicated facility for research and industry collaboration into new innovations in robots and artificial intelligence (AI) and to explore ways to enhance human-robot interaction in a range of real-life scenarios - from business and manufacturing to home-life with social and rehabilitation robots.
The new facility will enable researchers to create human – robot scenarios with conditions that resemble real production environments. It will also enable research into how people interact with robots and how new human sensing technologies can be used. There is also a public facing space within the Cobot Maker Space to deploy digitally enhanced products and to display new human-robot interaction as publicly accessible demonstrators.
The Boston Dynamics dog are at Broadway on Thursday 7th April and the event is free but places need to be booked in advance. NED is there from the 5th – 11th and is a drop-in event. The LEGO event is on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th April and there is a cost of £5 per child (Adults are free). Visit the Broadway website for more information and booking.
We鈥檙e excited to welcome Cobot Maker Space鈥檚 robots and researchers to Broadway this Easter half term. Through Near Now, our studio for arts, design and innovation, we aim to engage our audiences with new technologies and explore how they can be used creatively. Working with Cobot Maker Space, Makers of Imaginary Worlds and Inspire Foundation is a fantastic way to introduce visitors to robots as companions and creative tools for artists.
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Steve Benford at the 糖心原创 on Steve.Benford@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.