In "Broadway Bots: Robots Take Lead Roles in Drama, Standup," by Nidhi Subbaraman, contributing writer at NBC News Digital, Ms. Subbaraman reports on the thespian arts currently in play at Tokyo's Robot Restaurant and in the Texas A&M University 2009 production of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream." Raytheon Professor Dr. Robin Murphy of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M comments on the thespian bots and humans as they interacted in the Shakespearian comedy.
"It really did seem like the fairies, the robot fairies, were characters in the production and not just flying props."
Dr. Dylan Shell, assistant professor of computer science and engineering, Dr. Amy Guerin, assistant professor of theatre arts, and Dr. Murphy collaborated on the Texas A&M performing arts project. Of the collaboration, Dr. Murphy said, "It's great to bring together students from engineering and performing arts, plus we raised several important research issues."