Can robots and humans interact the way that human beings interact with each other? Guy Hoffman researches embodied cognition and intelligence in robots, or as he says it: ‘robots with soul.’
He explores the humanity of robots — how they think, feel, act, and move, as they interact with humans. He and his team staged the world’s first human-robot theater piece, as well as the first human-robot jazz duet, improv and all.
Watch his TED talk — “Robots with “soul” — to see two of Hoffman’s creations in action. First, there’s Shimon, a robotic marimba player who is able to improvise with a human pianist or freestyle with a rapper. And then there’s Travis, a two-headed robotic speaker that jams to music along with you.