Dramaturgy for Devices: Examining the interaction between humans and robots

Een robot en een mens kijken elkaar aan © iStockphoto.com/Devrimb
© iStockphoto.com/Devrimb

Robots are increasingly becoming a part of our daily lives. They provide assistance in medical care, support in education, and can perform simple tasks. However, they still lack many skills necessary for effective interaction and communication. In the research project Dramaturgy for Devices, researchers and artists in the fields of robotics and theatre are collaborating on the development of the behaviour and communicative skills of robots. This month, four PhD candidates from Utrecht University, Delft University of Technology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and the University of Twente will start this project.

Collaboration between researchers and theatre and dance practitioners

Professor and project leader Maaike Bleeker says about Dramaturgy for Devices: “It is wonderful that we can collaborate with partners from the theatre field in this project over an extended period. They possess a wealth of knowledge and skills that can not only enhance the effectiveness of interactions between humans and robots but also make them more imaginative, enjoyable, interesting, and challenging. Moreover, theatre is a fantastic medium for exploring and questioning imaginary futures with robots.”

This is the first project on this scale to bring together the worlds of theatre and dance with robotics in order to refine human-robot interaction. In this interdisciplinary project, theatre and dance practitioners will contribute to the development of more sociable robots. This illustrates the value of the performing arts for innovative design tools and methods and explores the significance of theatrical practice for technological innovation. At the same time, the project also explores the possibilities for robotics in theatre.

Research-in-progress

For the next four years, the public will have the opportunity to attend live experiments from the research of Dramaturgy for Devices. To begin with, the theatre company Ulrike Quade Company, in collaboration with the tech incubator Yes!Delft, presented their research-in-progress on 5 October. They did so in Spot x Kafka: a theatrical exploration of humans and technology, which put the power of the SPOT robot (Boston Dynamics) into a theatrical context.

In collaboration with Bram Ellens, the researchers will open the AI event Beyond Technology at Utrecht University on 26 November. Ellens will present scenes from his play Robot van de Rommelmarkt, which is set to premiere on 3 January 2025 at the Concertgebouw. During the Innovation:Lab event Ctrl+Alt+Play on 30 November 2024, the audience will have the chance to interact with the service robot Rober.