Android Warhol? Robot painters take part in art contest

In the coming robot revolution, one area believed to be relatively safe from automation is creativity. While artificial intelligence may soon usurp taxi drivers, receptionists, and even lawyers, the uniquely human faculty of artistic creation will presumably mean musicians, writers and artists will be safe from automation. In its second year, the RobotArt competition is challenging these assumptions by encouraging teams to "create something beautiful using a physical brush and robotics." The CARP (Custom Autonomous Robotic Painter) robot painted "Apple" from the image of the apple on the left. Teams have used a variety of robotic systems to create works of art, ranging from flying drones, to robotic arms used in manufacturing assembly lines.