Opening soon on Germantown Avenue, The RAD Lab (short for robotics, automation, and dance) is coming to Chestnut Hill. The self-described “part lab, part studio, part classroom, part incubator, and part museum” will play host to a mix of research and activities.

Amy LaViers, director of The RAD Lab, told the Local what the neighborhood can expect to see in the coming weeks. A ribbon cutting is scheduled for Jan.7 at 5:30 p.m., but a special preview is planned during Chestnut Hill’s final Stag & Doe Night of the year, from 5-9 p.m. on Dec. 17.

“Wednesday night I’ll have a very simple free activity where people can make a gift tag or ornament with their own robot design on it,” she said.

While the Lab has been operating in some capacity since 2014, the storefront at 8004 Germantown Ave. will be its first permanent, physical installation. It’s an outfit with serious academic credentials, working with a National Science Foundation (NSF) AI infrastructure grant, but also one that is deeply grounded in artistic performance. You’ll find their work at the National Academy of Engineering and in Nature magazine, but also on the cover of November’s issue of Dance Magazine. Even The RAD Lab logo is an intentional piece of art, specifically designed by graphic artist Mikki Janower to contrast an organic inkblot “Rad” against sharper lines for the rest of the logo.

As for what exactly the Lab does, there are several answers. One day might look the same as in a typical office, spent on computers and collaborating with remote colleagues as both dance and computer routines come together alongside the mechanical designs that will bring them to life. Others may be filled with sounds far removed from the average daily grind: the whirring of a 3D printer creating parts, the clanks of metal and buzz of motors made by robotic limbs in motion, or the music and footsteps of a dance rehearsal. The intensity ramps up when events draw near.

“Sometimes that means flying around the world using the very maximum checked-baggage allowances,” LaViers said, “with robot parts stuffed in snowboard bags or being surrounded by wires and tools using a headlamp and multimeter to find a wonky connection, or rehearsing choreography trying to hone the timing of human performers with robotic systems.”

The Lab’s work with the NSF centers on a project to create a library of human movements and gestures paired with detailed information about each one. This type of data can be used to improve the ways robots can maneuver as they work alongside human dancers, or even to create new opportunities human dancers wouldn’t be able to do alone.

“Developing expressive robotic systems, including those that can estimate the state of their counterparts, requires understanding how human bodies move through space and time, aka, choreography,” LaViers said.

The intricate steps, twists, and turns of dance are especially challenging and particularly valuable. A recent performance called “Babyface,” held at the Performance Arcade in Wellington, New Zealand, showed how all of these elements come together.

“We did a piece where we fashioned breath-triggered robotic wings that quite literally expanded the range of motions performers could exhibit onstage,” LaViers said.

After the show, attendees were invited to go hands-on with a similar breath sensor and operate robotic fixtures to gain a firsthand understanding of how the technology works. While that performance isn’t slated for the Chestnut Hill location, visitors can expect to see a variety of educational and artistic installations as part of a rotating lineup of activities.

“The new space,” LaViers said, “uses a flexible, open layout to accommodate several functions: our atelier, a workshop and studio for artist-engineers working at the intersection of robotics and dance; a gallery space with a focus on representations of the body, technology, and ephemera from robotic art performances; an installation space for periodic interactive and live works to be presented; classroom space for our three weekly offerings... a free book-lending library; and a small retail shop.”

In addition to her fondness as a local resident, LaViers said that Philadelphia’s academic environment and Chestnut Hill’s artistic heritage were key reasons for the Lab to call this area home.

“It’s a street full of other art galleries, dance studios, and design-focused spaces that happen to be near many schools and universities with top STEM and arts programs,” she noted.

Philadelphia’s transportation infrastructure was also a factor; the city and its suburbs offer easy road and transit access to and from areas along the east coast, she said.

Upcoming events include dance classes, creative coding, movement analysis, and summer camps. The Lab will offer three classes per week: Movement Hour at 4 p.m. on Thursdays, Writing Hour at 11 a.m. on Fridays, and Story Hour at 11 a.m. on Saturdays. At the atelier, or project lab, people can apply (by emailing hello@the-rad-lab.org) to work on independent projects using The RAD Lab’s resources. LaViers said the atelier and Movement Hour will be best for older children and adults, the Writing Hour will be for adults, and Story Hour will be for younger children accompanied by caregivers.