Episode Six - Human-Robot Collaboration: working together

Robot Talk · 27 Mar 2021 · 38m · Episode 6

What this episode covers

Javier Chiyah, a PhD student at Heriot-Watt University, discusses conversational agents for human-robot collaboration in smart factories and remote underwater vehicle operation, highlighting challenges with accent recognition and the need for spatial context. Dr. Helena Webb from the University of Oxford explains the RoboTIPS project and the development of an 'ethical black box' to record AI decision-making for safety investigations in social robots, while addressing privacy trade-offs in care settings. Dr. Lola Cañamero of the University of Hertfordshire describes the 'Robin' robot toddler used to help diabetic children manage their condition through play, emphasizing the importance of adaptive, emotion-based interactions and unsupervised learning.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 54m

    375: Hiding in Your Roomba

    Brittany Postnikoff (Straithe), a researcher and community manager at Great Scott Gadgets, discusses her master's thesis on robot social engineering and her upcoming PhD research into privacy risks posed by mobile robots in public spaces. She explains how physical robots like Roombas and Knightscope security bots exploit human trust through anthropomorphism and authority to collect sensitive data, often without user consent. Postnikoff also details her role at Great Scott Gadgets, where she manages open-source contributions for hardware tools like the HackRF and the upcoming USB toolkit Luna, emphasizing how hardware sales fund open-source development.

  • The Robot Report Podcast · 1h 35m

    Kate Darling on the Future of Robotics and AI Ethics

    Dr. Kate Darling, research lead for ethics and society at the AI Institute, discusses the intersection of robotics and social science with hosts Steve Crow and Mike Oitzman. They cover the recent RoboBusiness 2023 event, highlighting the industry's focus on humanoids like Agility Robotics' Digit and Figure AI's robot, as well as the integration of Generative AI in robotics. Darling shares her perspective on human-robot interaction, using the Stop & Shop Marty robot and public perception of autonomous vehicles like Waymo and Cruise to illustrate the social challenges of deploying robots in shared spaces.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 00m

    207: I Love My Robot Monkey Head (Repeat)

    Professor Ayanna Howard of Georgia Tech discusses her research on designing robots to interact with children with special needs, focusing on kinematic modeling, emotional expression, and the phenomenon of human-robot trust. She explains how robots like the Nao and Darwin Mini are used to engage users, detailing the technical challenges of creating fluid motion and reactive behaviors. Howard also addresses the 'uncanny valley,' the risks of over-trusting autonomous systems like self-driving cars, and offers advice for hobbyists and students on getting started with robotics platforms like Lego Mindstorms and ROS.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 00m

    207: I Love My Robot Monkey Head

    Professor Ayanna Howard of Georgia Tech discusses her research on humanoid robots interacting with children with special needs, focusing on kinematic modeling, robot operating system (ROS), and the psychological phenomenon of human-robot trust. She explains how robots like the Nao and Darwin Mini are used to study emotional responses and behavioral nuances, while also addressing the risks of over-trusting autonomous systems like self-driving cars. The conversation covers educational robotics platforms like Lego Mindstorms and Dash & Dot, and Howard's work with EngineerGirl.org to mentor young women in engineering.

  • The Robo Success Podcast · 41m

    Ep. 18: What Happens When Machines Start Feeling More Human?

    Andrew Kiguel, CEO and Chairman of Realbotix, discusses the company's focus on social companion robots rather than industrial automation, leveraging his background in finance and previous ventures like Hut 8. He details the development of the Aria educational robot, which uses a closed-loop, STEM-based AI to provide safe tutoring in schools, and introduces the new Echo line, including characters like Amar and Mila, designed for stationary, human-facing interactions. Kiguel argues that stationary designs offer practical advantages in battery life and safety, while highlighting the market validation provided by competitors like UBTech and Unitree in China.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Robot Talk. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.