Dr. Cynthia Breazeal: “The Personal Side of Robots” | Interactive 2015 | SXSW.

The ability of autonomous robots to interact and work effectively with people is increasingly important: from improving worker productivity with robot teammates, to enhancing people’s quality of life with personal robots. Social robots interact with people in an interpersonal way to support the socio-affective dimension of human experience.

This, in turn, impacts human behavior, attitudes and performance in intriguing ways. Such findings encourage us to think quite differently about robots, beyond performing physical tasks, to empowering us on a deeper human level: to learn better, to stay healthier, to care for and connect with one another with greater engagement, and more. The benefits of social robots could be transformative in areas of significant societal need that demand critical innovation.

Nonetheless, this also motivates a thoughtful dialog about the desired role of intelligent, emotive technology in our lives, our relationship with it, and possible consequences.