Abstract
In this paper, we propose theatre-in-the-loop, a framework for developing expressive robot behaviours tailored to artistic performance through a director-guided puppeteering workflow. Leveraging theatrical methods, we use narrative objectives to direct a puppeteer in generating improvised robotic gestures that convey specific emotions. These improvisations are captured and curated to build a dataset of reusable movement templates for standalone playback in future autonomous performances. Initial trials demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, illustrating how the workflow enables precise sculpting of robotic gestures into coherent emotional arcs while revealing challenges posed by the robot's mechanical constraints. We argue that this practice-led framework provides a model for interdisciplinary teams creating socially expressive robot behaviours, contributing to (1) theatre as an interactive training ground for human-robot interaction and (2) co-creation methodologies between humans and machines.
Abstract (translated)
在这篇论文中，我们提出了“theatre-in-the-loop”（剧场闭环），这是一种通过导演指导的木偶操作工作流程来开发针对艺术表演的富有表现力的机器人行为的框架。利用戏剧方法，我们使用叙事目标引导木偶师生成传达特定情绪的即兴机器人手势。这些即兴创作被捕捉并整理成一个可重复使用的运动模板数据集，用于未来自主表演中的独立播放。初步试验展示了这种方法的可行性，说明了该工作流程如何能够精确地将机器人的动作塑造成连贯的情感弧线，并揭示了机器人机械限制所带来的挑战。我们主张这种以实践为导向的框架为跨学科团队创建具有社会表现力的机器人行为提供了一个模型，从而贡献于（1）作为人机交互互动训练场地的戏剧以及（2）人类与机器之间的协同创作方法论。
URL
https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.03514
