Robot for libraries and cultural institutions: hire a humanoid robot

What the robot does in a library

The humanoid performs in front of children and parents, demonstrates walking, gestures and a short dance, shakes hands and poses for a photo. During a children's programme the operator leads a short interaction: the children ask questions and the robot responds with movement. In an educational block NOVA shows how movement is built from commands in code, which is a natural introduction to robotics for older pupils.

In a gallery or a community arts centre the robot works as a living element at an exhibition opening, in the accompanying programme of an exhibition or at the opening of a new display. We deploy it in the same way in museums and science centres.

• Children's programme: a movement demonstration, children's questions, a photo together
• Reading with the robot: the robot introduces the book or the theme of the session
• An educational block on robotics and programming for school groups
• A living element at an exhibition opening, a new display or a library night
• Content for the institution's social media and local media

Why it works in libraries and cultural institutions

Libraries are looking for a way to attract families and children who have no connection to the printed book. The robot is a reason to come. Parents bring their children to a programme they would otherwise not see, and the library has them in a space where it can show what it offers.

For a cultural institution it is also a topic for the media and the founding authority. A humanoid in a regional library or community arts centre is news that the local press and the municipality pick up. The institution presents itself as modern and open to technology.

We can tune the programme to the age of the audience. Pre-schoolers get a playful demonstration, lower secondary pupils an explanation of how the robot works, adults a discussion about where humanoids are really used today.

Where and when the robot fits

It works best as an announced programme with a fixed time so that families come deliberately. One block lasts 30 to 45 minutes and we can repeat it for several groups during the day.

• The children's section of the library during the holidays or a themed week
• Library nights, museum and gallery nights, open days
• The accompanying programme of an exhibition or festival in a community arts centre
• School visits to the library or gallery
• The opening of renovated premises or a new section

How the rental works

We deliver, set up and operate the robot the whole time. The operator leads the programme, talks to the children and keeps a safe distance. The librarian or curator looks after the visitors, not the technology.

The battery lasts approximately two hours of active operation, after which the operator swaps it for a charged one. We therefore plan the programme in blocks with breaks. The robot needs a flat area of approximately 3 × 3 metres, with no stairs or thresholds. In outdoor grounds it works only in dry conditions, rain rules out deployment.

Robot hire starts from 1 000 € per day with an operator for multi-day rentals, excluding VAT. A one-day event and transport are priced in the quote.

What to prepare

• The age and number of children in each group, so we can tune the content
• A flat 3 × 3 metre area in the reading room, hall or foyer
• Access to a power socket and a place for battery charging
• A schedule of blocks and group registration if you plan several performances
• Whether there will be photography and filming for the media or social media