Drones and robots are set to take over a section of Canberra in the city's newest festival.
"Uncharted Territory" starts on July 7 and continues for 10 days. One of its purposes is to showcase emerging technologies in an imaginative way which appeals to non-techy ordinary people.
The aim is to make science entertaining, so events include "First Kiss: A Robotic Pas de Deux" where two robots will dance. It's described as "looped dance sequence in a collision between choreography and robotics".
"Lucie in the Sky" will merge dance and drones.
The idea behind the festival is to combine cultural groups (like the Australasian Dance Collective) with scientific groups (like scientists and technologists at the ANU and Canberra University) to give a glimpse of the current cutting edge of technology but also a glimpse of "uncharted territory".
There will be workshops, and the organisers hope that the public will get involved, particularly young people who may be thinking of science as a career.
One of the emergent technologies on display, for example, will be "sewable electronics" (which combines traditional crafts (sewing, and fashion and textile design) with electrical engineering and computer science.
Events take place around the ANU campus and across the city.
The festival is promoted by the ACT government.
"It will be a collaboration between local innovators, creatives, businesses and community organisations and promises to become one of Canberra's principal seasonal events encouraging locals and visitors to explore our city's unique culture of creativity and innovation," a government spokesperson said.
"A launchpad for the emerging and a platform for the courageous, Uncharted Territory is a partnership with Canberra's innovation, tertiary and cultural sectors to present a multifaceted festival program that encourages artists and innovators to explore new forms of expression, new ways of doing things, to challenge themselves, embrace risk and push the boundaries of what is possible."
