iThaiSTAR - A low cost humanoid robot for entertainment and teaching Thai dances

Development of humanoid and dance robots has improved greatly due to rapid advancement of electronics, computer, mechatronics and control technologies. While humanoid robots such as Honda ASIMO, Fujita HOAP-3 and Sony QRIO have dazed the public with their amazing capabilities, such robots are in very limited supply and they are also extremely expensive. On the other hand, the low cost toy robot, WowWee's Robosapien (RS), has become very popular. It has also expanded its functionalities in later models since its line of products were first launched in 2004. The most important aspect of such robot is its cost is only a fraction of the highly sophisticated robots. This study investigates the feasibility of using low cost robots such as RS for the purposes of entertainment and teaching Thai dances. Informal feedbacks and comments have shown a high degree of acceptance and keen interest. This demonstrates the potential of low cost robots for training, entertainment and edutainment purposes

Bangkok is Burning: Queer Cultural Productions of Thainess in Diaspora.

Ph.D. Thesis. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2018