I create musical robots that can play duets.
Jamming with a robot
Angelica's robot, HRP-2, doesn't just perform duets with her. It actually listens, watches, and responds to her playing—"Something," says Angelica, "that many human musicians have yet to learn!" Angelica plays the flute, and HRP-2 plays theremin, an early electronic instrument created in 1920s Russia.
Angelica works in an area of computer science called artificial intelligence (AI), which makes it possible for her robot to learn from and adapt to its environment. "With my software, the robot can take information from its video camera and microphones and understand the world around it."
Companions, not servants
Angelica wants to develop robots that are human companions, not servants—a partner to play chess or ping pong with, or to help kids practice their music lessons. In Japan, where she's now studying, "cuddly robot pets are already acting as companions in elder care centers."
Angelica worked on writing code for an underwater rescue robot with a team of twelve people during an internship in southern France. "That's when I realized that making a robot requires lots of teamwork—there are people who do electronics, people that do sensor processing, people who do motor control—those people became my family!" Plus, it was fun hanging around the pool every day doing underwater tests.
What's her passion?
Giving robots a better reputation. When people think of robots, they often think of Terminator-type bots. "I'm passionate about making robots less scary and more approachable—they have the potential to make our lives happier."