In China, a robot has for the first time in history been admitted to a doctorate programme in drama and film. The humanoid Xueba 01, created by Shanghai University of Science and Technology together with DroidUp Robotics, has been accepted by the Shanghai Theatre Academy. Its specialty will be the study of traditional Chinese opera.
The robot, which is 1.75 metres tall and weighs about 30 kilograms, is fitted with silicone skin and can express a wide range of emotions through facial expressions. It communicates freely in Chinese, interacts with people and has already become popular online. Its studies will be supervised by Professor and artist Yang Qingqing.
Xueba 01 will have to study acting, scenography, screenplay writing and technologies for generating speech and movement. It previously gained attention as a participant in the world’s first half-marathon for humanoid robots, where it finished third. Now it will have to master the art of the stage.
The experiment is part of a new course at the academy that brings together art and technology. And although the project has many sceptics, Xueba 01 itself remarked wryly that if it does not complete its studies, it will be “sent to a museum, and that is also a path into the history of art.”
