Many strings attached: from conventional to robotic marionette manipulation

This paper introduces the evolution of traditional marionette design and manipulation skills from an engineering perspective and describes a novel system developed in Nanyang Technological University, called Robotic Marionette Systems (ROMS). Through the development of ROMS and the marionette motion generation methods, the possibility of infusing modern robotic and mechatronic technology into the traditional art form of marionette performance is explored while, at the same time, evoking and stimulating public interests in this art form.