Robot magic show: human–robot interaction

Abstract

The use of robots in performance arts is increasing. But, it is hard for robots to cope with unexpected circumstances during a performance, and it is almost impossible for robots to act fully autonomously in such situations. IROS-HAC is a new challenge in robotics research and a new opportunity for cross-disciplinary collaborative research. In this paper, we describe a practical method for generating different personalities of a robot entertainer. The personalities are created by selecting speech or gestures from a set of options. The selection uses roulette wheel selection to select answers that are more closely aligned with the desired personality. In particular, we focus on a robot magician, as a good magic show includes good interaction with the audience and it may also include other robots and performers. The magician with a variety of personalities increased the audience immersion and appreciation and maintained the audience’s interest. The magic show was awarded first prize in the competition for a comprehensive evaluation of technology, story, and performance. This paper contains both the research methodology and a critical evaluation of our research.

An analysis and review of robot magic shows

“…The robot is equipped with a stable walking gait based on closed-loop control and is available at half the cost of commercially available robots. Team ZSTT has been developing the Robinion series of intelligent humanoid robots since 2013 (Jeong et al ., 2020, 2022). These robots are designed to be multifunctional platforms for conducting research in several areas, including closed-loop-based stable walking gait, balance control in highly dynamic environments, and manipulation.…”

“…A Korean professional magician participated as a director for the team’s show and assisted with the story of the robot magic show, the types of magic, and the interaction between the assistant and the robot. The show was a touching performance that demonstrated the potential of humanoid robots in the entertainment industry (Jeong et al ., 2020). Nevertheless, the range, speed, and accuracy of robot movement are insufficient for the audience to feel, and there are several areas for improvement.…”

The Impact of Attention Mechanisms on Speech Emotion Recognition

“…Speech Emotion Recognition (SER) has a wide range of potential applications in areas, such as human-robot interactions [1], computer-aided instruction, e-commerce, and medical assistance [2,3].…”