Phantom is a humanoid robot developed by startup Foundation Robotics Labs. It can build cars, work in warehouses, and be used by the military in a war zone. But last Friday at San Francisco's Temple nightclub, Phantom made his first public appearance not as a fighting machine, but as a DJ.
Phantom is a humanoid robot developed by startup Foundation Robotics Labs. It can build cars, work in warehouses, and be used by the military in a war zone. But last Friday at San Francisco's Temple nightclub, Phantom made his first public appearance not as a fighting machine, but as a DJ.
The startup's co-founder Mike LeBlanc says that the company's clients include automakers, warehousing and logistics firms, and the Department of Defense. So it's hard not to notice the double meaning in the typical gun gestures that Phantom performs on stage, writes the San Francisco Gate.
According to LeBlanc, the company's robots are currently not involved in combat operations, but mainly assist the military with aircraft maintenance and refueling in remote areas.
So this DJ set is a bit of cultural diplomacy for the company—a demonstration that a literal fighting machine can be fun, too. “We’re not trying to apologize for the power of robots,” LeBlanc said. “For us, it’s the perfect presentation because that’s what our robot is. It’s fun.”
The robot played a 30-minute set on the nightclub's main stage to cap off the event, dubbed the Tech GigaParty — part AI exhibition, part networking event, part club party.
During its performance, the robot’s movements were fluid. The human DJ would bounce up and down, pressing buttons on a DJ console. The Phantom’s head remained perfectly level, and instead of jerking its arms, it would lower them in a perfectly synchronized arc. The robot didn’t select tracks in real time. The humans selected the music in advance, and the startup spent weeks training the robot’s every move.
