September 25, 2013

Box–The Synthesis of Real and Digital Space (with Robots!)

Watch, and have your mind bent, blown, and boggled. Astounding. Appropriately, this video ends with the Arthur C. Clarke quote, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” If you’ve recovered from your state of awe and want to learn more about this performance, I’ve grabbed a couple of descriptions directly from the website “Bot [...]

By Joanne Manaster

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Watch, and have your mind bent, blown, and boggled. Astounding.

https://vimeo.com/75260457#

Appropriately, this video ends with the Arthur C. Clarke quote, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

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If you've recovered from your state of awe and want to learn more about this performance, I've grabbed a couple of descriptions directly from the website "Bot and Dolly":

"Box" explores the synthesis of real and digital space through projection-mapping on moving surfaces. The short film documents a live performance, captured entirely in camera. Bot & Dolly produced this work to serve as both an artistic statement and technical demonstration. It is the culmination of multiple technologies, including large scale robotics, projection mapping, and software engineering. We believe this methodology has tremendous potential to radically transform theatrical presentations, and define new genres of expression.

So exactly who/what are Bot and Dolly?

Bot & Dolly is a design and engineering studio that specializes in automation, robotics, and filmmaking. It’s our mission to advance motion control and automation as a creative medium, and build world-class tools that enable others to do the same. At the core of our technology is an integrated software/hardware platform that provides precise and expressive control of 6-axis industrial robots. On top of this core platform we provide industry-specific toolsets such as IRIS to support in the creative process, from prototype to production. To date, our tools have been used in feature films, national television ads, Las Vegas shows, and large-scale art installations. We dream about where they’ll be used next.

Thank you to Bot and Dolly for absolutely "wow-ing" us with technology and engineering!

image is a screenshot from the video performance of "Box"

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