ROBOTINITY | ARS ELECTRONICA in the KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL

The coined word “Robotinity” combines the concepts ‘humanity’ and ‘robots’. Robots embody the thoughts, technologies, and cultures of the humans who create them, but also reflect the society, art, and technology of the age, like a mirror. So how do we envision the robots of the future?

Nowadays, it is not only research centers or specialized laboratories making robots such as DIY robots, flying drones or smart cars. In the Cambrian era of robotics, a share culture of various technologies based on open-source and a self-innovative environment, e.g. 3D printers, accelerates the creation of diverse robots.

The Robotinity exhibition features Electric Circus⎯the creator of Dirk, the homeless robot, Ars Electronica Futurelab⎯the developers of Spaxels and Smart Atoms with an artistic expression of robotics, and the PLEN project, which proposes a new robot genesis created by people.
The search for a new definition of robots has begun.

To ask the question “What is it like to be a robot?” is like asking what it is like to be a human being. Future “Robot Culture” will be discussed in the light of cutting edge robot technology and in collaboration with Osaka and the world.

ARS ELECTRONICA

photo: Nicolas Ferrando,Lois Lammerhuber

Ars Electronica is a cultural institute for media arts, located in Linz, Austria.The Ars Electronica is consisted of 4 departments of “Ars Electronica Festival” for art, technology and society held in every September,“Ars Electronica Center” as museum of the future, “Prix Ars Electronica” international completion for media arts and “Ars Electronica Futurelab” as R&D function. Also many Japanese creators participates in their activities.

Ars Electronica : http://www.aec.at/

Electric circus is an artistic collaboration between the inventor Fred Abels and the puppeteer Mirjam Langemeijer. They create genuinely lifelike robots, such as Mono The Monkey and Dirk, a homeless human look-alike robot, which they have display in street performances throughout the world. Dirk always attracts people, who often mistake him for a human and are then amazed when they discover that he is actually a robot. Not only their appearance, but also their human-like expressions and movement facilitate their communication with people.

http://www.electric-circus.eu/

Ars Electronica Futurelab is both an Atelier and a Laboratory and the research and development department of Ars Electronica, focusing on the future at the nexus of art, technology, and society. The Futurelab team consider their works as sketches of possible future scenarios in art-based, experimental forms. The lab’s international, transdisciplinary, expert team of diverse artists and researchers makes innovative projects such as Robotinity research possible.

http://www.aec.at/futurelab/en/

Director of Ars Electronica Futurelab.
Launched the Futurelab R&D department and is spearheading cutting-edge art projects.
In recent years, he has been driving research into Spaxels and Smart Atoms as forms of artistic
expression based on robot technology.
Member of Ars Electronica Futurelab.
Took part in the opening of an annex at Ars Electronica Center,
and is currently active as an artist, curator and researcher.

Seeking to make robotics technology available to all generations, PLEN Project Committee has been working on robot development, art practices, and education. In 2006, they invented a small humanoid robot called PLEN, which attracted hobbyists and artists all over the world. Besides its lively performances in research institutions and educational institutes, it was also presented at Ars Electronica 2009, as the interactive robotic installation PLEN Park. PLEN2 was presented in 2014, 8 years after the invention of PLEN. With the help of Kickstarter cloudfunding support, it will finally become a product in the autumn of 2015.

http://plen.jp/

Kurumachi is a workshop program that produces a new relationship between children and mobility.
A car is the representative of your partner or yourself, Kurumachi inspires the imagination and a creative idea to create your
own concept. Kurumachi considers the relationships between individuals, and between the city and society,
and reflects on the role of the individual and of society.

●On weekends and holidays, visitors will be able to print out and take away their own Kurumachi (TBC).
*Limited quantities. Presented in order of arrival. Only available while stocks last.

KURUMA-IKU Lab research investigates the multifaceted value of cars and aims to construct a new relationship between people and cars,
and to cultivate the creativity of children through art.

Times: Open from 17:30　　　Starting at 18:00
*Scheduled to end at 20:00
Venue: The Lab. 2nd floor　　Active Studio
Entrance fee: ￥1,000 (to cover cost of food and drink)
Capacity: 50 persons

● Participating artists: ・Electric Circus; ・PLEN Project Committee; ・Ars Electroncia Futurelab

Times: Open from 17:30　　　Starting at 18:00
*Scheduled to end at 21:00
Venue: Knowledge Salon　Presentation Lounge, 7th floor
Capacity: 50 persons

● Guests: ・Electric Circus
– Fred Abels and puppeteer Mirjam langemeijer; ・Ars Electronic Futurelab
– Horst Hörtner and Hideaki Ogawa; ・PLEN Project Committee
– Natsuo Akazawa

Times: Open from 13:30　　　Starting at 14:00
*Scheduled to end at 17:00
Venue: Knowledge Salon　Presentation Lounge, 7th floor
Capacity: 20 persons

● Guests: ・Ars Electronic Futurelab
– Horst Hörtner and Hideaki Ogawa; The theme of this workshop is “Smart Atoms”.
If the atoms making up the world were smart, what kind of world would appear? Taking the theme of “Smart Atoms” as an entry point, we will prototype a future robot-ness.

Please register for the special program in advance from our dedicated application webpage.

○Note: When the available participant spots in the programs are filled, no more applications will be accepted.
○Important: Please note that participants in the programs held at Knowledge Salon must be at least 18 years of age.
○For more information：info@kc-i.jp（Knowledge Capital Association）