Roboexotica
{{short description|Annual festival in Austria}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| name = Roboexotica
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| status = active
| genre = festival, exhibition
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| frequency = annually
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| location = Vienna
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| country = Austria
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| first = founded {{start date|1999}}
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| attendance = 1,500–3,000
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| organized = monochrom, Shifz
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| website = {{URL|roboexotica.com}}
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Roboexotica (sometimes spelled: Roböxotica) is an annual festival and conference where scientists, researchers, computer experts and artists from all over the world build cocktail robots and discuss technological innovation, futurology and science fiction.{{cite web |last1=Steffan |first1=Philip |title=Roboexotica 2015: Festival für Cocktail-Robotik startet in Wien |url=https://www.heise.de/make/meldung/Roboexotica-2015-Festival-fuer-Cocktail-Robotik-startet-in-Wien-3046406.html |website=Heise Newsticker |date=18 December 2015 |accessdate=5 February 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Atherton |first1=Kelsey D. |title=IARPA Wants Human-Like Robot Brains |url=https://www.popsci.com/iarpa-wants-robot-brains |website=Popular Science |date=8 January 2016 |accessdate=5 February 2019}}
Roboexotica is also an ironic attempt to criticize techno-triumphalism and to dissect technological hypes.{{cite book |last1=Grenzfurthner |first1=Johannes |last2=Friesinger |first2=Günther |last3=Wurzer |first3=Magnus |title=Roboexotica |date=2008 |publisher=edition mono/monochrom |isbn=978-3-9502372-3-8 |url=http://edition-mono.at/index.php?id=11&no_cache=1&tx_sbportfolio_pi1%5Buid%5D=28&cHash=1e3d5ccd3441249a21f6f52463abc3fb}}{{cite web |last1=Mühl |first1=Martin |title=Roböxotica: Drinks und Palatschinken vom Roboter serviert |url=https://thegap.at/roboexotica-drinks-und-palatschinken-vom-roboter-serviert/ |website=The Gap |date=24 November 2017 |accessdate=5 February 2019}}
The festival is currently produced by art collective monochrom. Until 2018, the festival was a cooperation of monochrom, Shifz, and the 'Bureau for Philosophy' (of the Department of Philosophy, University of Vienna).
The festival is usually held in the end of November or early December.
Overview
The annual international festival consists of an exhibition, a conference, social events, and the ACRA (Annual Cocktail Robot Award).
The exhibition presents robots that can mix cocktails, serve cocktails, consume cocktails, have bar conversations, light or smoke cigarettes or manage to impress the jury with (quote Roboexotica website) "other achievements in the sector of cocktail culture".
File:Cocktail robot at Roboexotica 2007 in Vienna, Austria.jpg
History
Starting in 1993, art and technology group monochrom (Johannes Grenzfurthner, Franz Ablinger) published an alternative magazine and online bulletin that featured blueprints for interesting DIY projects (like creating a DIY isolation tank or building a rocket out of an office water cooler) and released articles and pamphlets that criticized the "uninspired and martial" machine culture (e.g. poking fun at Survival Research Labs and etoy) and supported a more playful way to create robots, specifically demanding that robots should "party with us, not work for us."{{cite web |last1=Frena |first1=Bernhard |title=»Wenn unsere Apparate Menschen ersetzen, haben wir grob was falsch gemacht« – Johannes Grenzfurthner im Interview zur Roboexotica |url=https://thegap.at/interview-johannes-grenzfurthner-roboexotica/ |website=The Gap |date=13 December 2023 |accessdate=16 December 2023}} In 1999, Magnus Wurzer and Chris Veigl (of Shifz) presented a self-made bar robot at the small independent Viennese culture and art space VEKKS.{{cite web|url=http://vekks.yi.org|title=V.E.K.K.S|publisher=Vekks.yi.org|accessdate=2012-03-29|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305120705/http://vekks.yi.org/|archivedate=2012-03-05}} monochrom took interest and participated with performances and presented machines, and soon teamed up with Shifz as organizers and the small event became a big international festival presented at Vienna's Museumsquartier and several other locations in the Vienna metro area.{{cite web |last1=Fischer |first1=Christian |title=Roboexotica: Das Festival für Cocktailrobotik |url=https://derstandard.at/2000092103684/Roboexotica-Das-Festival-fuer-Cocktailrobotik |website=Der Standard |accessdate=5 February 2019}}{{cite web |title=Roboexotica: 19. Cocktail-Festival für Roboter in Wien |url=https://futurezone.at/digital-life/roboexotica-19-cocktail-festival-fuer-roboter-in-wien/298.974.171 |website=FutureZone |date=21 November 2017 |accessdate=5 February 2019}} Roboexotica presents around 20 machines every year and draws around 3000 guests per event. The event is attracting robot builders from all over the world.{{cite web |last1=Health |first1=Mary Shinn |title=Durango inventor combines music, robots and booze |url=https://durangoherald.com/articles/183104 |website=Durango Herald |accessdate=5 February 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Grenzfurthner |first1=Johannes |title=The wonderful world of cocktail robotics |url=https://www.pscp.tv/w/1ypKdwPQQZpxW |website=HOPE 2020 |accessdate=1 August 2020}}
Roboexotica was presented at Cyberpipe (Ljubljana) in 2006,{{cite web |title=Simulator vožnje pod vplivom alkohola |url=https://www.studentarija.net/simulator-voznje-pod-vplivom-alkohola/ |website=Studentarija |accessdate=5 February 2019}} at Maker Faire (San Francisco) and RoboGames (San Francisco) in 2007.
File:Bre Pettis and his first 3D printer (2007).jpgBre Pettis got inspired during an art residency in Vienna with Johannes Grenzfurthner/monochrom in 2007,{{cite web |title=MakerBot hat seinen Ursprung in Wien und würde sich an HP verkaufen |url=https://3druck.com/drucker-und-produkte/makerbot/makerbot-hat-seinen-ursprung-in-wien-und-wuerde-sich-an-hp-verkaufen-3810098/ |website=3druck |date=18 April 2013 |access-date=21 January 2019}} when he wanted to create a robot that could print shot glasses for Roboexotica and did research about the RepRap project at the Vienna hackerspace Metalab.[http://opendesignnow.org/index.php/article/made-in-my-backyard-bre-pettis/ Interview in 'Open Design Now', published by Waag] Shot glasses remained a theme throughout the history of MakerBot.{{cite web |title=Startup unveils 3-D scanner at SXSW {{!}} CNN Business |date=2013-03-09 |website=CNN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116194001/https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/08/tech/innovation/makerbot-pettis-sxsw |archive-date=2022-11-16 |url-status=live |url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/08/tech/innovation/makerbot-pettis-sxsw/}}
In 2008 a catalogue titled Roboexotica was published, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the festival.{{cite book |last1=Grenzfurthner |first1=Johannes |last2=Friesinger |first2=Günther |last3=Wurzer |first3=Magnus |title=Roboexotica |date=2008 |publisher=edition mono/monochrom |isbn=978-3-9502372-3-8 |url=http://edition-mono.at/index.php?id=11&no_cache=1&tx_sbportfolio_pi1%5Buid%5D=28&cHash=1e3d5ccd3441249a21f6f52463abc3fb}} The book features reflections on the festival and presents statements by former participants including Cory Doctorow, Dorkbot's Doueglas Repetto, Bre Pettis, V. Vale, Karen Marcelo of Survival Research Laboratories or RoboGames' David Calkins and Simone Davalos.{{cite web |last1=Grenzfurthner |first1=Johannes |title=The wonderful world of cocktail robotics |url=https://www.pscp.tv/w/1ypKdwPQQZpxW |website=HOPE 2020 |accessdate=1 August 2020}}
A smaller show called "Roboexotica USA" was held in San Francisco in 2008 and 2009.{{cite magazine |last1=Wortham |first1=Jenna |title=Bot Bartenders Sling Drinks at Roboexotica USA |url=https://www.wired.com/2008/06/gallery-roboexotica/ |magazine=Wired |accessdate=5 February 2019}} It was organized by monochrom and Shifz and was well received by the press. In 2010 it was decided to rename the San Francisco-based cocktail robot event "Barbot,"{{cite web |last1=Tarantola |first1=Andrew |title=A San Francisco Cocktail Party Where The Bartenders Are All Robots |url=https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/10/a-san-francisco-cocktail-party-where-the-bartenders-are-all-robots/ |website=Gizmodo |date=29 October 2013 |accessdate=5 February 2019}} and Barbot events were held in San Francisco in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.
File:Johannes Grenzfurthner and Chase Masterson at Roboexotica 2018.jpg
Chase Masterson was special guest star at the 20th anniversary edition of the cocktail robot festival, and performed a live jazz set for "robots and humans".{{cite web |title=Cocktail |url=https://www.vienna.at/roboexotica-20-festival-fuer-cocktailrobotik-in-wien/6002869 |website=vienna.at |date=20 November 2018 |accessdate=23 November 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Sagan |first1=Sonja |title=OTS0037, 20. Nov. 2018, 09:30 drucken als pdf als Text Roboexotica 2018 - Das Festival für Cocktailrobotik mit Star Trek Ehrengast Chase Masterson |url=https://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20181120_OTS0037/roboexotica-2018-das-festival-fuer-cocktailrobotik-mit-star-trek-ehrengast-chase-masterson |website=ots.at |accessdate=23 November 2018}}
In 2020 and 2021 the festival was adapted into a delivery service. monochrom offered to bring cocktail robots in a van to customers in the greater Vienna area and mix cocktails for them. The whole event was live-streamed as a videocast and hosted by Johannes Grenzfurthner, who also interviewed artists and technologists from all around the globe.{{cite web |url=https://futurezone.at/digital-life/roboexotica-cocktail-roboter-stream-lieferdienst/401833756 |title=Wiener können von Robotern gemixte Cocktails bestellen |website=futurezone.at |date=8 December 2021 |accessdate=9 December 2021}}
In 2022, Roboexotica was invited to host the opening night party at Fantastic Fest.{{cite web |url=https://drafthouse.com/news/fantastic-fest |title=We've Got Fantastic News – Fantastic Fest is Back |website=drafthouse.com |accessdate=16 August 2022}}
Reception
Roboexotica has been featured in Slashdot,{{cite web|url=http://slashdot.org/story/06/12/10/0147213/Roboexotica-Event-Pours-Drinks-in-Vienna|title=Roboexotica Event Pours Drinks in Vienna - Slashdot|date=10 December 2006 |publisher=|accessdate=11 June 2016}} Wired News,[https://www.wired.com/culture/culturereviews/multimedia/2007/11/gallery_roboexotica Photo story about Roboexotica on wired.com] Reuters,{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/video/2006/12/11/cocktail-robots-serve-up-drinks?videoId=1133&videoChannel=4|title=Cocktail robots serve up drinks|publisher=|accessdate=11 June 2016|via=www.reuters.com}} New York Times,{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/24/dining/24robots.html|title=Just Like Mombot Used to Make|date=24 February 2010|work=The New York Times|accessdate=11 June 2016}} CNet{{cite web |last1=Daniel |first1=Terdiman |title=Cocktail-serving robots invade Vienna this week |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/cocktail-serving-robots-invade-vienna-this-week/ |website=CNet |accessdate=5 February 2019}} and blogs like Boing Boing{{cite web|url=http://boingboing.net/2007/11/21/speaking-in-vienna-t.html|title=Speaking in Vienna this weekend at Roboexotica: the cocktail robotics festival|first=Bonnie|last=says|date=21 November 2007|publisher=|accessdate=11 June 2016}} and New Scientist.{{cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/blog/technology/2006/12/cocktail-robotics-not-just-for.html|title=New Scientist Technology Blog: Cocktail robotics - not just for partying|publisher=|accessdate=11 June 2016}}
Publications
- Roboexotica: Beautiful Failure (edited by Günther Friesinger, Johannes Grenzfurthner, Franz Ablinger; edition mono/monochrom, Vienna 2025)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|www.roboexotica.org}}
- [http://www.boingboing.net/2007/11/21/speaking-in-vienna-t.html Speaking in Vienna this weekend at Roboexotica: the cocktail robotics festival]{{spaced ndash}}article from BoingBoing
Category:Art festivals in Austria
Category:Festival organizations in Europe
Category:Futures studies media
Category:New media art festivals
Category:Recurring events established in 1999
Category:Science fiction conventions in Europe