PSYC 301 Final - New Frontiers 2

Robotics

What are the characteristics of a robot? What makes a robot a social robot?

1. Sensors: Identifies + responds to its environment 

2. Actuators: Physically moves

3. Autonomy: Processes, computes, selects

Social Robot

4. Social: Capable of social interaction, follows social rules

   • ex robot pets, stationary, aide

What are current social robot abilities?

• Fairly limited 

• Studies often rely on the Wizard-of-Oz method (Someone is remotely controlling it) 

• Dynamic, adaptive movement is difficult and current robots are pretty bad at it 

• Conversation is difficult + robot speech is often pre-scripted 

  • Emotion modelling is difficult (robots are bad at “reading the room”) 

What are the potential beneficial applications of robots for brain health?

• Emotional Support (companionship, touch)

• Monitoring (pain monitoring, fall monitoring, smart integrations) 

• Health (physical therapy, distraction, dispensing medication) 

• Connection (telepresence, reporting) 

Shown evidence in older adults with dementia, children in hospital settings, and children with autism (all context dependant)

What are the potential harms of robots for brain health?

• Privacy and security 

• Responsibility

  • Who is culpable for harms?

• Deception

  • Ex. Someone with Alzheimer's believes the robot is real and hurt, needs to be fed, etc. 

• Stigma

  • fear of people seeing them using the robot + judging their competence

  • infantilizing if the robots look “childish”

• Attachment

  • Is it good to promote attachment between a robot and human? What if the robot breaks or has to be taken away?