The tearoom going from zero to one

Echoes in the Forest: Tiny Robots

This is a "living forest" of tiny robots. Each robot emits red and green light, and makes sounds as it moves around. When the light emitted by a robot hits another, its movement and sounds change.

The star of the exhibition is the Lasermice dyad installation, a swarm of small robots. Artist Kanno So was inspired by the synchronization phenomenon seen in fireflies and other species that cluster together.

The exhibition presents an imaginary forest, where small robots live in groups, emitting light and sound. The lighting effects cycle between day and night, over a short period. At night, the robots slow down, and they gather around objects in the forest as if they are snuggling together. The behavior of the robots is intended to have viewers examine the relationship between the individual and the group in the imaginary forest. For those of us who have had plenty of chances to consider our human relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic, this exhibition may provide an opportunity to take a fresh look at human society.