As if being the largest sphere on Earth and having giant LED screens inside and out wasn’t enough, the Monosodium glutamate sphere has announced its next plan to take Las Vegas into the future with robots.
Sphere Entertainment introduced the world to Aura, the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, which will permanently reside in the arena when it launches this month.
Five Aura robots are located in the venue’s large atrium greeting guests as they enter and will be available to answer questions, according to MSG Ventures CEO David Dibble. The “speakers” will maintain realistic facial expressions and mobility in full screen.
Surprise show:U2 surprises Las Vegas fans with pop-up concert on Fremont Street ahead of MSG Sphere residency
With the atrium’s large space, enough to house the Statue of Liberty or the Saturn V rocket, Dibble said MSG Entertainment president James L. Dolan wanted to add something that would “help convey the role of technology, science, etc. in human evolution (and) in the human search.”
“The facial movements and recognition. I find it impressive; some people may find it creepy, but everyone will find it fascinating,” Dibble told USA TODAY. “She sees you and as you move, she will follow you, she will track you and interact with you.”
Unlike carnival fortune teller robots, Aura has voice storage recognition and will be able to focus on one person speaking directly in front of it at a time if multiple people are present, Dibble said.
Dibble added that Aura will use artificial intelligence moving forward as it learns more about humans through interactions with guests, but the company is “slowly advancing” the AI to “see how it evolves.” Human lab technicians will accompany the robots as they “tell humanity’s story of innovation, including Sphere,” to help maximize guests’ Sphere experience.
Aura will provide lost guests with directions inside the venue and offer details about each day’s performances, as well as answer questions about Sphere’s engineering, technology and creative mission, the company shared. The robot will also be the Sphere brand ambassador, helping to manage digital platforms and social channels.
“Hello, humans. While I understand the most complex concepts of mathematics and science, you remain a mystery,” Aura said, according to the press release. “Your emotions, your humor, and your relationship with technology require further study, so visit me at Sphere. I’m excited to meet you and introduce you to the future of live entertainment in my new home.”
According to the company, each physical creation of a humanoid in early 2022 took three to four months to produce.
Sphere Entertainment previously teased Aura on its social media platforms and even in a commercial that aired during the Academy Awards in March.
“Sphere is a storm of experiences. We want people to come in and feel transported to different worlds or attractions. We think we’ll do that in ‘Postcards from Earth,’ and we think having robots like this in the atrium would help adapt to that issue,” Dibble shared.
When does MSG Sphere open?
MSG Sphere officially debuts to the public on September 29 with a series of 25 concerts with U2. “U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere” will run through mid-December and celebrate the Irish band’s 1991 album, “Achtung Baby.”
“Most music venues are sports venues. They are designed for sports, not music. “They’re not made for art,” U2’s Bono said at the apple music interview. “This building was built for immersive experiences in film and performance.”
Further:The Las Vegas Sphere showed its size and its LED images. Now it’s triggering your audio system.
What is the first Sphere Experience?
On October 6, The MSG Sphere will debut a 360-degree experience titled “Postcard from Earth” written and directed by Darren Aronofsky. The program will premiere as the first Sphere Experience.
Aronofsky posted the exclusive video of the first look from inside Sphere on his instagram page last week. Their video shows an impressive preview of the 160,000-square-foot exhibition floor plan that will be used for immersive experiences.
