As someone who prides themself as the owner of two left feet, it has always been upsetting to discover that dancing comes naturally to some people. It was disappointing to see that some small children are incredibly gifted at the art. It was borderline comedic to find out that animals could be trained to dance with greater finesse than I could ever hope to do. At times, these emotions become exhausting to deal with.
That being said…it was just flat out cool to see a robot dance better than I can.
Students throughout the district were given a once-in-a-lifetime treat when Jim Mikel, a 1983 graduate of Connally ISD, came back home to showcase his craft as one of only three robot choreographers in the world on Thursday, September 28.
“It’s really fun to have the opportunity to come back home and do this demonstration,” Mikel said. “I do presentations like this all over the state, but it is almost unbelievable for me to be able to do it here at my alma mater.”
The technology showcased in the exhibition is utilized in a variety of avenues. Mikel specializes in choreographing dance routines for Spot the Agile Mobile Robot, a product developed by Boston Dynamics. He takes Spot with him to a wide array of school and community events to try to engage people with STEM education.
“The main thing that I like about this job is that it makes people smile,” Mikel said. “It is really special to see a big smile come up on someone’s face when they see the dog run by them.”
With the help of Mikel, Spot the dog performed a wide variety of tricks and stunts set to music. Students from the elementary school, the high school, and the junior high got to watch the show and hear an informative presentation about the way that the technology works.
“It’s always good to bring in outside sources to work with our students, particularly when it involves concepts that they are not familiar with,” CISD Instructional Technology Specialist John Choins said. “His presentation gave students the chance to consider different skill sets and career pathways that are involved in the world of robotics, opening the door to different interests that our students might not have previously had.”
Mikel’s journey into the field of robotic choreography started after he spent time working with the Wounded Warriors project under the Obama administration. Working with veterans who returned from combat missing limbs or facing other serious injuries inspired him to pursue work with robotics.
“Working with Wounded Warriors really opened my eyes to the different capabilities that this technology has to help people,” Mikel said. “It was amazing to see how robots, cobots, and prosthetics can help people who need them. From that point, God guided me here.”
Now, Mikel’s work often crosses paths with various avenues of the United States’ government. One area that he is quick to advertise is an apprenticeship program with the Department of Labor, which gives participants who complete the training the opportunity to gain certification in the remote use of robots, cobots, and drones - not unlike what Mikel does for a living.
“The JROTC gives students the opportunity to work with a variety of technologies like robots and drones,” Connally High School AFJROTC instructor Master Sergeant John Christian said. “This presentation gave our students a chance to see a practical application of some of the equipment that we’ve studied at a really high level. It was phenomenal for them to see the applications that the robots can have in so many different areas - from entertainment to search and rescue. It was amazing.”
Students from throughout the district thoroughly enjoyed the demonstration. Spot’s performance came as a shock to many, but with the help of his “master”, he worked the crowd well.
“I was really impressed with the technology behind the robot,” CHS junior Glyn McDaniel said. “It was cool to learn that while the robot was designed with specific intentions, it could be modified for so many different things.”
Mikel’s work does not utilize any artificial intelligence. In order to get Spot to dance, he must individually program every single movement for the robot to complete. He combines that with his knowledge of music and art to help develop each performance.
“In order to get a routine done, I have to listen to an individual song thousands of times to find things like the beat, the rhythm, and the style,” Mikel said. “I was in band and theatre and other fine arts when I was a student at Connally. I definitely think that my experience in those programs helps me when I do this work today.”