"We hope that people take away an understanding of what is going on in the field of robotics as well as a strong interest in it," says Kathleen McCarthy, the museum's director of collections and head curator. The exhibit is "great for the general public who's unfamiliar (with robotics)," she says, but it's "also of interest to engineers and to people who are interested in a particular area" – be it healthcare, manufacturing, civil services or another field in which the use of robotics is evolving rapidly.
On display are a candy-sorting pick-and-place robot from Fanuc (juxtaposed against a monitor showing the infamous "I Love Lucy" candy factory scene) as well as Baxter, Boston-based Rethink Robotics' recently introduced collaborative robot. Visitors can play a game of tic-tac-toe with Baxter, who, the museum notes, can be easily trained to perform a variety of simple, repetitive tasks.
Also featured – primarily in a mounted display, not roaming overhead – are drones; their use in aiding disaster response is highlighted. A 10-minute Drone Show live demonstration gives guests a look at the Parrot MiniDrone, a small device controllable by smartphones and tablets.
"Robotics is a truly fascinating field – and it's one that's growing exponentially," David Mosena, president and CEO of MSI, said in a news release about Robot Revolution. "This exhibit, in a fun and engaging way, helps answer questions like: How do robots work? How will they potentially change our lives? How can I get involved in robotics?"
McCarthy notes that interactivity was one of the top priorities for the exhibit, in an effort to engage students in particular. Visitors can create their own robot from magnetized blocks and, in a computer game, try their hand at basic programming tasks. In another display, they can manipulate the behavior of "swarm" robots. In addition, the exhibit's RoboGarage offers visitors the chance to watch specialists as they perform regular maintenance on the robots.
