Blog

Writing for the second edition completed

We finished writing the second edition of our book and I hope that it will be published this year. We added one new chapter on “How people perceive robots” and we dramatically extended the chapter on how a robot works with the latest developments in artificial intelligence. We also added and updated references, photos of robots and the index. Another important update was the inclusion of teaching material. The book now provides questions and answers that can be used in class.

Second Edition Writing Workshop

We started to write on our second edition of “Human-Robot Interaction” to be published with Cambridge University Press and Hanser in 2023. The writing workshop took place in Christchurch and we made great progress. We have a brand new chapter, extension to existing sections and exercise questions for students. Can’t wait for this book to come out.

Aldebaran Again

Is this the end of Pepper?

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Softbank Robotics sold their Nao and Pepper robots to the United Robotics Group (URG) which reversed the name of this business back to its orginal “Aldebaran”. In this episode Dwain Allan and I discuss the uncertain future of Nao and Pepper based on direct correspondence with URG. We try to answer the question whether you should still invest in this robotic platform. Is Aldebaran another zombie robotic company?

Transcript

The transcript of the episode is available as a PDF.

HRI-Podcast-Episode-024-Aldebaran-Again-Transcript

ISSN 2703-4054

Important Links

Zombies

Can robots be conscious?

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Are robots zombies? This might seem like a strange question at first, but it leads to one of the most important questions in science today: what is consciousness and can robot’s become conscious? These questions fascinate many people. And when Blake Lemoine suggested that Google’s latest AI Lambda had become sentient, it triggered a worldwide media frenzy. In this HRI podcast episode, I talk with Professor Jack Copeland about machine consciousness.

Transcript

The transcript of the episode is available as a PDF. You can also follow the episode with subtitles through Descript. 

HRI-Podcast-Episode-023-Zombies-Transcript

ISSN 2703-4054

Important Links

Autonomous Vehicles – Do We Really Know The Risks?

We need objective safety data

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Autonomous Vehicles (AV) are the riskiest form of human-robot interaction. One the one hand they offer unparalleled improvements to the safety and comfort of drivers, passengers and other traffic participants. They also promise to reduce emission. On the other hand, they demand new considerations for trust and responsibilities in human-robot interaction. The field of tension between autonomy, trust and liability can only be manoeuvred on the basis of objective data. Government agencies will have to implement clear obligations and standards for reporting the performances of AVs. This is the only way for consumers to make informed decisions about their purchases and the associated risks. In this podcast episode we will critically review the available data, the market situation and the recent developments.

Transcript

The transcript of the episode is available as a PDF. You can also follow the episode with subtitles through Descript. A full paper with references is available.

HRI-Podcast-Episode-022-Autonomous-Vehicles-Do-We-Really-Know-The-Risks

ISSN 2703-4054

Important Links

Emotions And Consciousness In Robots

The full interview with Douglas Campbell

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In the last HRI podcast episode we talked about the role of emotions for humans and robots. The interview with Douglas Campbell truly inspired me and there was not enough time in the last episode to go into the full depth of our conversation. So here it is, our full discussion about emotions and consciousness in robots.

Transcript

The transcript of the episode is available as a PDF. You can also follow the episode with subtitles through Descript.

HRI-Podcast-Episode-021-Emotions-And-Consciousness-In-Robots-Transcript

ISSN 2703-4054

Important Links

The Sad Robot

Do robots need emotions?

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What roles do emotions, affect and moods play for humans and robots? We will discuss how robots can sense, reason and express emotions. Furthermore, we talk about if emotions make robots more human. I had the pleasure to talk with Rosalind Picard (MIT), Lola Canamero (CY Cergy Paris University), Hiroshi Ishiguro (Osaka University) and Douglas Campbell (University of Canterbury) about these exciting questions.

Transcript

The transcript of the episode is available as a PDF. You can also follow the episode with subtitles through Descript.

HRI-Podcast-Episode-020-The-Sad-Robot-Transcript

ISSN 2703-4054

Important Links

The Story Of Boston Dynamics

From military robots to beer commercials.

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Boston Dynamics is the rock star of robotics. It recently featured in a beer commercial during the Super Bowl. How did a company that started as a military contractor become a novelty in beer commercials? Dwain Allan and Christoph Bartneck discuss the past, present and future of the company with Robert Cheek and Stephen Hickson.

Transcript

The transcript of the episode is available as a PDF. You can also follow the episode with subtitles through Descript.

HRI-Podcast-Episode-019-The-Story-Of-Boston-Dynamics-Transcript

ISSN 2703-4054

Important Links

Flaky Conferences and Journals in Human-Robot Interaction

I recently published a podcast episode in which I had the pleasure to interview the organisers of a fraudulent conference that had accepted my nonsense paper. In the meantime, more and more invitations to flaky and potentially fraudulent and predatory conferences come across my desk. They follow the same schema as the Science Horizon Conferences. It is time to start a list. I will try to keep this list updated as new invitation to submit come in. Please contact me if you cam across an event or journal that would qualify for this list.

Flaky Conferences, Symposiums and Forums

Flaky Journals

Robots in Education

An Introduction to High-Tech Social Agents, Intelligent Tutors, and Curricular Tools

Our new book “Robots in Education” has been published by Routledge.

Robots in Education is an accessible introduction to the use of robotics in formal learning, encompassing pedagogical and psychological theories as well as implementation in curricula. Today, a variety of communities across education are increasingly using robots as general classroom tutors, tools in STEM projects, and subjects of study. This volume explores how the unique physical and social-interactive capabilities of educational robots can generate bonds with students while freeing instructors to focus on their individualized approaches to teaching and learning. Authored by a uniquely interdisciplinary team of scholars, the book covers the basics of robotics and their supporting technologies; attitudes toward and ethical implications of robots in learning; research methods relevant to extending our knowledge of the field; and more.