frida robot painting
APPLICATIONS

ART WITH FRANKA

Franka robots have found their way into concert halls, museums, galleries, and stages around the world — not as machines, but as creative collaborators. Here is a growing collection of art projects that show a different side of what our robots can do.
PAINTING & DRAWING

THE ROBOT ARM AS DRAWING TOOL

From autonomous brushstrokes to calligraphy and graffiti, these projects explore the robot arm as a drawing instrument — precise, tireless, and surprisingly expressive.

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    CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

    FRIDA — Framework and Robotics Initiative for Developing Arts

    A robot that autonomously generates and executes brushstroke compositions, turning AI-generated concepts into physical paintings.

    Paper
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    LIRMM / GANESH GOWRISHANKAR

    Robot Graffeur Fusionne

    A robot fusing human and machine gesture to produce large-scale graffiti in public space.
     
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    VODAFONE

    GIGA 5G Portrait

    A telepresent drawing robot transmitting human gesture over 5G to create live portraits at a distance.

    Webpage
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    CLB BERLIN / GOLDSMITHS DEEPMIND

    LABOR — Robotic Calligraphy

    A robotic calligraphy project exploring the boundary between handwriting and machine mark-making, shown at CLB Berlin.

    Webpage
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    UNIL-CHUV / SYLVAIN CALINON

    DrozBot

    A drawing robot inspired by Jaquet-Droz's 18th century automaton, exhibited at the Museum of the Hand in Lausanne.

    Webpage
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    LANGEN FOUNDATION / JULIAN CHARRIÈRE

    Controlled Burn

    A pyrotechnic drawing machine burning traces into organic matter, shown at the Langen Foundation in Neuss.

    Webpage
MUSIC & PERFORMANCE

FRANKA TAKES THE STAGE

These projects place Franka on stage — as an orchestra musician, a cellist, a guitarist, and a dance partner. Redefining what it means for a robot to perform.

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    FESTSPIELHAUS HELLERAU / TU DRESDEN

    Robot Symphony

    A multi-armed robot performing alongside a live orchestra at one of Germany's leading contemporary arts venues.

    Article
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    KUNSTHAUS ZÜRICH / OLAFUR ELIASSON

    Cello Playing Robot

    A robot cellist forming part of Olafur Eliasson's exhibition at Kunsthaus Zürich, exploring non-human musicianship.

    Article
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    GEORGIA TECH — CENTER FOR MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

    Guitar Bot

    A robotic guitarist and dancer exploring trust, improvisation, and the relationship between human and machine performance.

    Webpage
EXHIBITION & DESIGN

ROBOTS IN LEADING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS

Franka as a subject and medium of design research — exhibited in leading cultural institutions and exploring the intersection of AI, robotics, and human creativity.

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    PINAKOTHEK DER MODERNE / MIRMI TUM

    KI.ROBOTIK.DESIGN

    A landmark exhibition on AI, robotics, and design at the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, developed with MIRMI at TU Munich.

    Webpage
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    SOMABOTICS / LANCEL & MAAT

    Embrace Angels

    A creative AI embodiment project presented at Cinekid Festival in Amsterdam in October 2025, produced by artists Lancel & Maat.

    Webpage
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    NYU SHANGHAI

    Robotic Arms as Art

    Faculty research from NYU Shanghai's IMA program exploring the expressive and artistic potential of robotic manipulation.

    Webpage
OTHER

WHERE YOU'D LEAST EXPECT A ROBOT

From digital fashion shows to film sets, Franka has made appearances in some unexpected places.

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    PHILIPP PLEIN

    Fashion is dead

    A fully robotic digital fashion show by Philipp Plein — no models, no audience, no rules. Franka on the runway.
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    NETFLIX

    Biohackers — Series Appearance

    A Franka robot appearing in the Netflix sci-fi series Biohackers, set in a futuristic research laboratory.

    Webpage

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