Cobotic Improvisations (CI) draws on dance improvisation and choreographic methodologies to research how humans might predict the movement of their robot collaborators. Prof Jonathan Roberts and dance researcher Dr Steph Hutchison will collaborate on the CI project at the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub (ARM Hub).
In speaking with Jon, he mentioned that an under researched area in robotics is how humans might predict the movement of robots. This has provided the jumping-off point for us to begin our exchange.
How cobots move and how they might move as wholistically as possible in the fullness of their embodiment is exciting to begin exploring in the context of manufacturing. In previous projects such as Eve of Dust and Emergence with John McCormick part of the work is in reading the body of the other – robotic arm and AI performance agent respectively. By learning its’ body and potential for action it is possible to undertake a rich practice of exchange where my body becomes entangled with theirs and we find a shared dance.
The CI used for this project title is echoed in the dance practice Contact Improvisation. Drawing on the practice of CI in our research we will engage in a staged process over time with the cobots to build rapport and trust. We have three phases of development:
- Phase 1: Range of Motion & Calibration
- Phase 2: Embodied Practice Methodologies in Creative Collaboration
- Phase 3: Performance & Testing Embodied Practice Methods with Engineers
My practice more broadly is in dance, where my interests have been in the hybrid body, extreme physicality and systems as external frameworks to inspire movement creation. Collaboratively, my practice is driven by opportunities to experiment at the nexus of art, science and technology and contribute my embodied knowledge and practice to projects. Dialogues with different systems, creative risk taking, improvisational and choreographic methodologies all underpin our current enquiry.