Schlagwort: Robot Dog

Tagungen, Veranstaltungen

ARGOS: Reimagining Homer’s „Odyssey“ with a Robot Dog

The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. This year’s conference combines cutting-edge research in social robotics with a unique focus on artistic and creative applications of robotics. One of the highlights of the conference will be ARGOS, a performance staged on 3 July 2026 at Senate House in London. Rooted in Homer’s „Odyssey“, ARGOS reimagines the return of Odysseus after twenty years of war, recognized only by his faithful dog, here embodied by a real robot dog. The performance explores trust, intimacy, error, vulnerability, and the ethics of human-robot relationships. Developed as part of the Creative Robotics Theatre research initiative, ARGOS is a collaboration between the University of the Arts London, the University of Leeds, the Cyprus University of Technology, and CYENS. Directed by George Rodosthenous and produced by Hooman Samani, the project demonstrates how robotics and theatre can come together to inspire new reflections on technology and human connection. Further information is available at hoomansamani.com/creative-robotics/creative-robotic-theatre/argos/.

Fig.: The poster for the ARGOS performance

Innovationen, Publikationen

Talking Robot Dog for Blind Users

According to a Golem article published on April 12, 2026, researchers at Binghamton University have developed an AI-powered robotic guide dog designed to assist blind people through spoken interaction. Unlike traditional systems that rely on leash signals, the robotic dog uses large language models to understand voice commands, suggest different route options with estimated travel times, and verbally describe surroundings while guiding its user. As it moves, the robot continuously explains nearby hallways, obstacles, and environmental details to improve situational awareness. In tests with seven legally blind participants navigating an office environment, users responded very positively and especially appreciated the combination of route planning and real-time commentary. The research team plans to further improve the robot’s autonomy and expand testing in both indoor and outdoor settings, highlighting the technology’s potential as a future alternative or supplement to traditional guide dogs. An important practical consideration will also be how real dogs react to the robotic guide dog. This was examined in the Robodog project by Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel and his student Selina Rohr.

Fig.: The Unitree Go2 in an elective module by Oliver Bendel (Photo: Belkis Kassar)