Bot & Dolly's Box

Traditionally the physical and the virtual are considered separate realms. But as the digital infiltrates more and more of the physical spaces we occupy and things we see and interact with, the line separating the two becomes less distinct. The potential merging of these two realms can be seen in Box, a 5-minute video by Bot & Dolly, in which three robotic arms (two holding screens and one holding the camera) and three digital projections (the two screens held by the robots and one on the floor) move about and transform a physical space.

The keys to the undertaking are the two robots that Bot & Dolly developed: Iris and Scout. They have been used for a number of Hollywood features; they move around actors to shoot scenes that are synchronized with special effects added later. In the case of Box, the movement and special effects occur simultaneously, meaning the whole clip is shot "in camera" without any edits, a remarkable, well-choreographed feat. Further, the robots are linked to Autodesk's Maya animation software, hinting at the possibilities available to architects. Of course, innovation doesn't come cheap: Iris sells for $400,000.
Author
John Hill
Published on
Sep 30, 2013