Are we humanoid — or are we dancer?
A San Francisco nightclub recently put on a DJ headlined by a robot designed for war.
Phantom, a humanoid robot created by Foundation Robotics Labs, performed at Temple Nightclub for a 30-minute set during an event billed “Tech GigaParty,” an AI trade expo and networking event.
According to Timothy Karoff of SFGate, the robotic set was applaudable, but the fist bumps that came from the war machine were off-beat.
The primary focus of Foundation Robotics Labs isn’t making robots to be DJs at nightclubs, but rather to build robots for national defense and military purposes. The robotic startup’s clientele include auto manufacturers, warehouses and logistics firms and the US Department of Defense.
Robots like Phantom are already being used in non-combat roles in the US military, like maintenance tasks and refueling aircrafts in remote areas.
Foundation is the only American robotics company building humanoids for national defense. Other robotics companies have prohibited “weaponization” of robots and promised never to use them in military roles.
“We’re the opposite,” co-founder Mike LeBlanc told SFGATE. “We believe that humanoids are going to be critical to the future of warfare. Hence, designing robots that are bigger, faster, stronger.”
The unveiling of the humanoid robot as a DJ was a way for the company to show that the war machine can also be used for fun.
“We are not trying to apologize for the strength of robots,” LeBlanc told the outlet. “So for us, this is the perfect unveiling because this is what our robot is. This is a fun moment.”
