What is it about?

This paper explores how Functional Reactive Programming (FRP) can simplify the creation of robotic artwork. FRP is a style of programming for implementing reactive systems, such as robotic art, using the principles of functional programming. Functional programming (FP) is a style of programming that uses pure functions from mathematics to express program behavior, as opposed to low-level commands. FP values elegance, algebraic compositionality and mathematical precision. Traditionally, programming robots requires detailed technical knowledge, which can be a challenge for artists. FRP offers a more flexible and modular way to control robots, which could make it easier for artists to realize more complex and nuanced behaviors. The paper describes how FRP was used to create responsive and lifelike behaviors for a robotic artwork of the artist duo Pors & Rao.

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Why is it important?

Art that incorporates robotics often requires technical expertise that many artists don't have. By using FRP, the control software of robotic systems could be easier to understand, even for those with little programming experience. This not only broadens the accessibility of robotics for more artists but also allows them to focus on the creative aspects of their work, making their artistic vision come to life without getting stuck in the complexities of coding.

Perspectives

I have always been impressed by the robotic artwork from Pors & Rao, not only by its artistic and aesthetic novelty and innovation, but also by the level of technical sophistication required for the execution of their projects. The current state of control software for robotics applications requires programming at a very low level of signals and voltages, as well as a high level of subtle behaviors, something that even experienced programmers find challenging. I had often wondered whether advances in programming languages, especially through functional programming, could offer us greater expressivity and power in defining robot behavior without the burden of having to worry about low-level details at the same time. Furthermore, given that artists value elegance and beauty, I felt that they may be receptive to the functional style of programming, given that it too places high value on these qualities. I am very grateful to Pors & Rao for allowing us to work together to demonstrate and test our ideas. I hope that this work, and other work like it, will allow artists in the near future to extend their inherent need to express elegance and beauty in their work to their programs as well.

Prof. Dr. Farhad Mehta
OST Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences

The experience with "Edge Beings," where robots react to each other and to viewers, shows the potential of FRP to support complex, evolving interactions. The resulting code is elegant and easy to understand. This allows artists to be more directly involved in the implementation of the behavior of their robotic artworks. While further development is needed to make FRP even more user-friendly, this research shows how it can foster deeper collaboration between artists and developers and bring programming closer to artistic expression.

Eliane Irène Schmidli
OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Using Functional Reactive Programming for Robotic Art: An Experience Report, September 2024, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery),
DOI: 10.1145/3677996.3678288.
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