For six months from the end of 2010 into 2011, the Taipei Flora Expo was an international horticultural event designed to display the vast culture of worldwide, floral significance and cultivation achievements. In the Pavilions surrounding the lush flowers however, there were events dedicated to exhibiting how technology could mimic nature and interact with people.
ASUS Design Center was invited to take part in the Flora Expo, in a hall called the Pavilion of Dreams. Its submission, the Florabot, is a digital plant that can sense and mimic how living creatures react to local stimulus, while also translating its reaction to the rest of a greater, group organism.
For example, stand near the edge of any Florabot and its light would then ripple through the crowd of ‘bots. The Florabots contain actuators, sensors and calculation units that altogether allow an ‘expression of feeling’ when stimulated by either music or human proximity.
Naturally the Florabots come with their own theme tune (who wouldn’t want one?) that they react to with a wave-like dance of color and shape change.
In order to demonstrate the range of colors and forms required, at a high-enough frequency (25Hz), the ‘bots were meticulously tested and refined to hone their expressive, sensory and relationship technologies. The end result is an impressive and even slightly surreal experience as they bob and shine along to music, whilst also reacting to those who walk by close enough.
You can see them in action on ABC News.
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