A humanoid robot has become an unlikely crowd favorite at Teknofest Southeast, drawing children and other visitors with a programmed performance of the traditional Turkish folk dance “halay” set to music from Şanlıurfa.
The robot performed the dance Saturday at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport, moving in rhythm with local music as visitors gathered around to watch and record the performance on their phones.
Halay is a traditional Turkish folk dance in which participants form a line and move together while holding hands or a handkerchief. The robot’s performance gives the centuries-old tradition a distinctly modern twist.
Fatih Baran Aslan, an engineer involved in developing the robot, said its hardware was manufactured in China, while the software that controls its specialized movements was developed by the company in Türkiye.
“Our robot actually comes from China in terms of its hardware,” Aslan said. “But as a company, we were able to bring it to this level by developing various types of software for the robot.”
Engineers programmed the robot with specialized movements and dance routines after receiving the basic hardware, allowing it to perform halay and move in time with traditional Turkish songs.
“We coded various dances and special movements so that the robot can both perform halay and accompany these songs in a good way,” Aslan said.
Halay is just one of about 13 dances the robot has been programmed to perform, according to Aslan. Its repertoire also includes a range of gestures designed to interact with visitors, such as waving, clapping and blowing kisses.
The robot proved particularly popular with younger visitors at Teknofest Southeast, where crowds have been taking in technology demonstrations and cultural activities alongside aviation and defense displays.
The festival, being held at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport through the weekend, features technology competitions, exhibitions, demonstrations and interactive activities.
