Aura, the “world’s most advanced humanoid robot,” announced a permanent Las Vegas residency at Sphere just ahead of the massive dome’s U2: UV Achtung Baby Live grand opening concert on Sept. 29.
As the venue’s spokesbot, five Aura robots will interact with visitors to the next-generation destination in the building’s grand atrium. Aura will also be integral in Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth, the first The Sphere Experience event this October.
According to the announcement, the lifelike ‘bot looks forward to its new undertaking.
Hello, humans. While I understand the most complex concepts of math and science — you remain a mystery.
Your emotions, your humor, and your relationship with technology require further study, so you must visit me at Sphere. I am excited to meet you and introduce you to the future of live entertainment at my new home.
Talk Tech, Get Directions from Robot Host
Among the world’s most expressive, lifelike (some say creepy) robots, Aura’s human-esque demeanor is possible thanks to advanced robotics mechanics and artificial intelligence.
David Dibble, CEO of MSG Ventures, a Sphere Entertainment division, spoke to the achievement in the release.
Aura’s role at Sphere marks a truly innovative application of robots, providing guests from around the globe with an opportunity to move into the future of entertainment and interact within a new technological frontier.
Our vision with every aspect of Sphere is to transform the way people experience live events, and with Aura, we are pushing the boundaries of how robotics can be used to enhance our guests’ journey through the venue.
An expert on Sphere, Aura can deliver answers about the ground-breaking engineering, technology, and creativity at its core as easily as directions to the bathroom.
With backup provided by a team of human technicians, Aura will welcome Sphere guests and “serve as a conduit” between the building’s technical achievements and “the human experience.”
Specifically, Aura is programmed to share the history of human innovation and help the audience maximize their Sphere experience. And its technical capabilities will advance as it learns from interactions with guests.
MSG Entertainment chairman James L. Dolan wanted something to convey science and technology’s role in human evolution and pursuit, Dibble told USA Today.
Facial movements and the recognition. I find it stunning; some people may find it creepy, but everybody will find it fascinating,
Unlike mechanical fortune tellers, Aura has voice recognition and can focus on one person at a time, Dibble said.
He added that although Aura will use artificial intelligence to advance, the company is “taking a slow roll” with AI to “see how that evolves.”
Aura Compliments Sphere’s Otherworldly Experience
In addition to Aura’s onsite duties, the spokesbot and brand ambassador role extends to Sphere’s digital and social channels. Earlier this year, Aura appeared in a commercial aired during the Academy Awards and shared across Sphere’s social accounts.
In the end, it’s all about the experience, said Dibble.
Sphere is an experience storm. We want people to come in and feel like they’re being transported to different worlds or attractions. ‘Postcards from Earth’ we believe we’ll do that, and we thought that having robots of this type in the atrium would help lend itself to that theme.
Aronofsky recently shared a breathtaking look at Postcard from Earth on Instagram that highlights the enormity of the immersive display, which lit up the skies for the first time on July 4.
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