Robotic Actors in Japan

Date: 2008 November 26 17:12

Posted by Joe

BBC News are running a fascinating story about a robotic actor in a Japanese play. Hataraku Watashi (I, Worker), is set in the near future, the play had it's premiere at Osaka University, and stars a Wakamaru robot made by Mitsubishi. Software for the robot was especially written train it for the stage and took over two months to develop at the university.

The play focuses on a young couple who have two housekeeping robots, one of which loses its motivation to work, complains that it has been forced into boring and demeaning jobs, and enters into a discussion with the humans about it's role in their lives. The play is written by Oriza Hirata. Currently the play is 20 minutes long, they are considering producing a full length production by 2010.