At first glance, the Cyberflora flower display looks like a modernistic art installation. But when visitors come closer, the flowers respond to their presence by moving their petals, glowing colored lights and orienting their stems and flowers in their direction.The Cyberflora were created by robotics designer Cynthia Breazeal, assistant professor of media arts and sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The plants contain sensors that detect the presence of visitors and make the flowers respond in a certain way.
Cyberflora garden at MIT. Image: Sam Ogden, Science Photo Library
One species, called ‘Chromafant Blossom,’ responds to a hand placed over its petals by gently swaying and glowing in bright colors. The ‘Cobra Orchid’ was designed to detect heat from human bodies and respond by arching its stem toward the visitor.
Breazeal’s most famous creation is ‘Kismet,’ a social robot head that was programmed to behave like a human toddler. Breazeal has also developed other robots, from small insect-like creations to interactive lamps, computers and expressive humanoids.
Breazeal founded thePersonal Robots Groupat MIT where she studies the way humans and robots relate to each other.
Avideoof the Cyberflora on the group's web site shows four robot flowers responding to humans.
The Cyberflora were created by robotics designer Cynthia Breazeal, assistant professor of media arts and sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The plants contain sensors that detect the presence of visitors and make the flowers respond in a certain way.
Cyberflora garden at MIT. Image: Sam Ogden, Science Photo Library
One species, called ‘Chromafant Blossom,’ responds to a hand placed over its petals by gently swaying and glowing in bright colors. The ‘Cobra Orchid’ was designed to detect heat from human bodies and respond by arching its stem toward the visitor.
Breazeal’s most famous creation is ‘Kismet,’ a social robot head that was programmed to behave like a human toddler. Breazeal has also developed other robots, from small insect-like creations to interactive lamps, computers and expressive humanoids.
Breazeal founded thePersonal Robots Groupat MIT where she studies the way humans and robots relate to each other.
Avideoof the Cyberflora on the group's web site shows four robot flowers responding to humans.