Actors Disrupted…Mechanical Entertainers

Movies like iRobot, WALL-E, and the Terminator portray humanoid robots as characters in movies about robots. Other movies, like Iron Man, implement robotics technology as part of the context of the story, such as Iron Man’s suit and swarming Iron Man drones. But changes in robotic technology are beginning to catch up to the Hollywood imagination, and robotics are generating new capabilities in the entertainment industry to create movies and experiences. Things like sophisticated motion capture puppetry, aerial footage shot from drones, and interactive robotic characters in amusement parks are becoming commonplace. On this episode of WMD, Dr. Tamara Schwartz hands off the hosting seat to York College of Pennsylvania Cybersecurity student Allen Yang and his friends to explore the many uses of robots in entertainment.