Robot Dance Partner

A Japanese company has developed a robot that can interpret your lead and follow you on the dance floor. She’s modeled after Marilyn Monroe and has a huge gown that covers her complex mechanisms. For some reason not explained, she also seems to be sporting Mickey Mouse ears. Not for sale as yet, as far as I can tell from their website, www.irs.mech.tohoku.ac.jp/top.html. My best friend in Sweden, a flight simulator engineer, once told me it would be fairly easy to design a virtual dance partner. Like the robot, however, she could follow but not lead. The technology to create a practice partner for followers is still a ways off. I’ll bet somebody, somewhere, is working on it. Meanwhile, we’re stuck with our fellow human beings.