You've probably been thinking that robots are the ones who will be taking orders in our future society. This Honda ASIMO robot, however, was the one providing direction to humans.
(Honda Asmimo conducts orchestra video)
ASIMO walked quietly on-stage, waved to the orchestra, and then conducted the DSO in a performance of "The Impossible Dream" from The Man of La Mancha.
In the performance, ASIMO is essentially a humanoid metronome; it cannot sense the tempo of the music as played by the musicians.
"It's not a communicative device. It simply is programmed to do a sense of gestures," said Leonard Slatkin, the orchestra's musical director. "If the orchestra decides to go faster, there's nothing the robot can do about it. Hopefully, I keep that under control."
Mechanical Horse Sculpture Gallops In Place
'Rod placed the brain inside the panel... the horse raised its head, wiggled its ears, blinked twice, gave a tentative whinny.' - Christopher Stasheff, 1969.
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Orion's 'Skip-to-M'Lou' Entry
'A lightning pilot possibly could land that tin toy without power and still walk away from it provided he had the skill to play Skip-to-M’Lou in and out of the atmosphere...'