Sunday, October 20, 2013

Week3 Assignment: Robotics and Art

The topic of this week is robot, but not only robots nowadays or in the future, professor traced the history of robotic history. One popular point of view by Walter Benjamin towards machine and robotics is that Mechanical reproduction destroy uniqueness, culture and even tradition: it eliminates the aura of original artwork, written in his famous paper The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (Ch2). Now I realized human has been long imagining the interaction with machine with both curiosity and scare (Part3). However, I don't think development of robotics and machine would damage our culture and art, but generating new ground for art and imagination. People are now creating human-like robots, or the "friendly-looking" robots as described by Japanese professor Machiko Kusahara, since in this way, people won't get scared and may the robotics be part of human life.

One influential application of these kinds of robots is Japanese Animation. While animation gives enough freedom for artists, the success reflects the promising expectations that we have about robotics. I would give one example here--Doraemon. Doraemon is a robotic cat that comes from the 22nd century. He comes to 20th century and stays with Nobi Family. Doraemon always help the Nobis with the devices from 22nd century(IMDb). They made great friends with each other. In the animation, the robotics can sleep, eat, think and have emotions that a human possesses but have incredible devices, cute appearance and machine-like problems.


Doraemen Poster




Human-like appearance and emotions

Doraemen Theme Song


Reference

Benjamin, Walter. "Two." The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Trans. Andy Blunden. N.p.: Zeitschrift Für Sozialforschung, 1936. N. pag. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Feb. 2005. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm>.

"Doraemon." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069576/>.

Doraemon Theme Song. Prod. Kan Sawada. Perf. Kazuyo Aoki. Shin Ei Animation, 1979. YouTube. YouTube, 17 Apr. 2008. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l-r7_f0CVs>.

Kusahara, Machiko. "Robotics Machiko Kusahara." Interview. YouTube. Uconlineprogram, 14 Apr. 2012. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQZ_sy-mdEU>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Robotics Pt3." Lecture. YouTube. YouTube, 16 Apr. 2012. Web. 20 Oct. 2013. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkP7oSZVkbg>.
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4 comments:

  1. UnknownOctober 22, 2013 at 8:32 PM

    I totally agree with the idea that the development of robotics or engineering won't destroy art. Actually I do hold the opinion that art has leaded the way that robotics developed. For example robotics used to have no faces but since that is not beautiful at all, they do have a face right now.

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    Replies
    1. Larry LiOctober 23, 2013 at 1:00 AM

      Thank you for your reply. I do agree with you that art has led the robotics. Moreover, I think they are influencing each other in many aspects.

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  2. POctober 23, 2013 at 12:48 AM

    Hello Rui,

    Like Hao, I also agree. I also want to expand on the idea that robotics and engineering may even make art better. I think by expanding one subject across many disciplines would, without a doubt, make any thing better, or at least different. I recently went to the California Science Center and saw how technology, especially robotics, has been combined with art. There were so many robotic figures and they almost did not look like robots at all, and I feel that this is thanks to art. So both areas combined have improved the other in some way, and I think that is an interesting thing you touched on. 

    I really enjoyed the childhood connections you made, and I hope to read some of your posts in the future!

    By the way, I love how you connected the idea of Doraemon to art and how both art and robotics brings something lifeless to life!

    - Penelope Kim-Lim

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    Replies
    1. Larry LiOctober 23, 2013 at 12:59 AM

      Thank you for your reply. Yes, you are right. I enjoyed the combination of art and science and also other interactions across disciplines. Art is everywhere and at any time in my opinion, and it is also the beauty of it!

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