Brisbane Robotics Festival: Robotronica: Robots Invade Brisbane Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro and his humanoid clone Geminoid HI-4. Geminoid is a registered trademark of Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International. Robots will soon invade Brisbane's CBD as part of an international celebration of robotics being hosted by the Queensland University of Technology on Sunday, August 18. Robotronica will feature live demonstrations of some of the world's most exciting technology, including Geminoid, a humanoid clone of its creator, Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro. A world leader in robotics, Ishiguro will personally present Geminoid at QUT in the days leading up to the weekend showcase. Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro. Photo: Joi Ito "It's really, for him, [about] exploring what it means to be human," explains Robotronica creative director Jonathan Parsons. He's trying to duplicate what humans can do in a robot. Ishiguro will then return to Japan, where he will demonstrate the android's potential to Brisbane audiences for a second time - this time, remotely. "Part of the reason we wanted to do it that way was to give a bit of a window into future opportunities," says Parsons. One of the attractive things about creating this robot was that he (Ishiguro) could actually be in two places at once. Also on display will be the southern hemisphere's largest display of flying robots. The Spaxels - Quadcopter Swarm comprises 30 small-size drones each equipped with LED lights. On the Sunday evening, they will take to the air as part of a special choreographed light show. Parsons likens the effect to watching computer pixels brought to life in the sky. "It's taking fireworks in a completely different direction," he says. The grand finale display will be introduced by Geminoid and include an interactive music and gaming experience created by Brisbane-based trio 7bit Hero. Members of the public can join in the fun by downloading the band's free app to their smartphones and competing against fellow spectators on the evening. "In effect, the band is more the backing track or the facilitators for all the interactivity," says Parsons. Local innovations in robotics will be demonstrated by QUT's AgBot prototype. The agricultural robot makes use of sensors to intelligently spray weeds and improve crop management. It is thought the technology will improve farm productivity, saving wheat producers as much as $620 million a year on weeding. Robotronica will be held at the new QUT Gardens Point Science and Engineering Centre. Entry is free.