Stories of R.U.R.
Meet the R&D department
An exploration of Karel Čapek's 1920 play — the origin of the word "Robot" — reinterpreted through generative AI and compositing, examining the line between biological and mechanical, creation and creator.
Custom 16-bit generation tools were built specifically to overcome the inherent bit depth limitations of machine learning image enhancement. When off-the-shelf AI tools produce banding and quantization artifacts, we engineer solutions rather than accept compromise.
The Challenge
Generative AI models typically output at 8-bit depth, which is fundamentally incompatible with professional colour grading workflows. Our R&D team developed a custom pipeline that lifts generated content into 16-bit floating point space without introducing the banding and posterization that plagues conventional approaches.
Context
This tech demo was completed within a week, showcasing the potential of Prague's architectural beauty reinterpreted through robotic and AI themes — a fitting backdrop for a story about the origins of artificial labour and the ethical dimensions of creation. The project explores themes of AI alignment, corporate ethics, and the blurred boundary between biological and mechanical intelligence.