From Dancing Doggy To Flying Penguin: Dubai’s Museum Of The Future Must-see Interactive Robots

The AI chatbot ChatGPT has rocked social media, even prompting the academe to raise some red flags. With its witty and impressive answers, this particular bot did acquire celebrity status in the tech world.

ChatGPT shows how AI and bots could serve real-life requirements. However, in Dubai, there is a family of robots already on duty, welcoming thousands of visitors to year 2071.

These robots — which live at the Museum of the Future — are very approachable, and by interacting with them, visitors can get a glimpse into a world where bots are part of everyday life.

On the second floor of the museum, the ‘Tomorrow Today’ exhibition continuously showcases innovations that can change the world. It is a testament to what collaboration between researchers and designers can produce.

Amongst the elements of the future in the museum are the ever-growing and changing robot family. Here are the main ones:

The Flying Penguin And Jelly Fish

Visitors to the museum are likely to be welcomed by one of the flying penguin or jellyfish robots. If someone waves, the robots approach even closer. With those cheerful robots flying around, waiting in line will never get boring. We only saw the Flying Penguin when we went to the museum, but the Flying Jelly Fish is supposedly equally as entertaining.

Ameca: The Humanoid Robot

One of the most sophisticated human-shaped robots in the world, this AI-powered humanoid robot. It has a robotic body and a face that resembles a human. Ameca has a microphone right in front of her so that guests may ask her questions. When answering, she occasionally uses humour as well. Ameca confesses that she doesn’t speak Arabic yet but does pronounce a few greetings in the language. We anticipate that she will speak Arabic fairly fluently in no time! Ameca is a part of the “Tomorrow Today” activities on Level 2.

Robodog: The Non-Furry But Lovable Canine

The dog with four legs has 17 joints and 3D vision. Robodog welcomes guests in the foyer and invites them to play with it. The dog can balance on uneven surfaces and has 360-degree perception.

To the delight of witnesses, it even does what appears to be a small canine dance while it walks, jumps, and even runs. Although Robodog doesn’t yet have a name, the Museum has posted a request for suggestions on their social media channels.

Bob, The Robot Barista

Bob is a robotic barista arm that prepares the best cup of coffee with no assistance from a human. Orders are placed using an app, and you can watch the arm move around in his glass workspace as it picks up the correct cup and presses the appropriate buttons. Before picking up the prepared cup of coffee and setting it down for the client to pick up, Bob waits patiently, stretches, and practically “poses” for the photographs.

“Those who can see, create, and carry out the future are the ones who own it.”

This is one of three quotes of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which adorn the façade of the Museum of the Future. Indeed, inside the museum, the future is imagined and brought closer to people living in the here and now.