These robot dogs paint like Picasso and fetch up to $40K for their art

Agnieszka Pilat is not your typical artist. 

She doesn’t use brushes, pencils or even her own hands to create her artwork. 

Instead, she uses robots — specifically, robot dogs made by Boston Dynamics

Artist Agnieszka Pilat with robot dogs  (Agnieszka Pilat)

The robot dogs that paint like humans

Pilat, who was born in Poland and now lives in the U.S., spent months teaching three of these four-legged machines named Basia, Vanya and Bunny to hold a paintbrush in their “mouths” and move them across a large canvas, turning the paint into abstract art. 

They use sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence to perceive and navigate their surroundings.

CLICK TO GET KURT’S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK VIDEO TIPS, TECH REVIEWS AND EASY HOW-TO’S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER

Pilat said she first became fascinated by the robot dogs when she saw them on YouTube. She contacted Boston Dynamics and asked if she could collaborate with them. The company agreed and taught her how to use the robot dogs. She then painted a few portraits of one of them before she started actively working with them as her creative companions.

Robot dog artist  (Agnieszka Pilat)

The robot dogs are rewarded with a residency

The robots have been rewarded with a four-month residency at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, Australia, where they are creating art in their custom-built studio. 

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

The exhibit is called “Heterobota,” and the robots are fully autonomous. Pilat says this was a significant shift in her practice. Previously, she was always in the studio with the robots, where they felt more like an extension of her arm.

Robot dog artist  (Agnieszka Pilat)

MORE: HOW THIS ROBOT HELPS YOU PROTECT AND CONNECT YOUR HOME 

How the robot dogs paint autonomously

To navigate the space, the robots rely on little cubes of QR codes that are scattered about the space. When they need to rest and recharge, they return to their docking stations. Pilat worked with engineers and the museum to bring her vision to life. The result is a series of 36 paintings that resemble human works of art. 

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Some of these paintings have sold for up to $40,000 at auction.

Robot dogs at the exhibition  (Agnieszka Pilat)

The robots can be seen painting, navigating their environment and self-charging in the show, which runs until April 7. The exhibition’s theme is generative AI. Pilat said a language is embedded in the 16 symbols featured in the paintings.

MORE: GIANT TENNIS BALL LOOKING AI ROBOT BALL DOUBLES AS A HOME HELPER AND PROJECTOR 

Giving technology a voice

Pilat says she wanted to use her art skills to train a new generation of painters and to give technology a voice. She says she sees technology as a form of life, and she wants to explore its potential for creativity and expression. She says she also wanted to challenge the perception that technology is cold, impersonal or even threatening. Instead, she says she wants to show that technology can be warm, playful and even artistic.

MORE: THIS CHINESE COMPANY THINKS IT CAN MAKE A MORE POWERFUL PET ROBOT DOG THAN THE U.S.  

Kurt’s key takeaways

Agnieszka Pilat is an amazing artist who uses robot dogs as her collaborators. She taught them how to paint, and now we get to see the awesome art they are creating. She also shows us through her exhibit that technology can be creative and expressive, not cold or threatening. Her exhibition, “Heterobota,” is a unique and inspiring showcase of the fusion of art and technology.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

What do you think of the paintings created by the robot dogs? Do you like them, dislike them or find them intriguing? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

• What is the best way to protect your Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android devices from getting hacked?
• What is the best way to stay private, secure and anonymous while browsing the web?
• How can I get rid of robocalls with apps and data removal services?

Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.