Page 259 - Designing Sociable Robots

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robots? Will people accept them or fear them? How might this differ with age, gender,
culture, etc.?
The idea of sociable robots coexisting with us in society is not new. Through novels and
films, science fiction has shown us how wonderful or terrifying this could be. Sociable robots
of this imagined sophistication do not exist, and it will be quite some time before they are
realized.Theirimprovementswillbeincremental,drivenbycommercialapplicationsaswell
as by the research community. Robotic toys, robot pets, and simple domestic robots already
are being introduced into society as commercial products. As people interact with these
technologies and try to integrate them into their daily lives, their attitudes and preferences
will shape the design specification of these robots. Conversely, as the robots become more
capable, people’s opinions and expectations toward them will change, becoming more
accepting of them, and perhaps becoming more reliant upon them. Sociable robots will
grow and change with people, as people will grow and change with them.
The field of sociable robots is in its earliest stages. Research should target not only the
engineering challenge of building socially intelligent robots, but also acquire a scientific
understanding of the interaction between sociable robots and humans. As the field matures,
understanding both sides of the human-robot equation will be critical to developing success-
ful socially intelligent technologies that are well matched to the greater human community.
Toward this goal, this book presents both the engineering aspects of building a sociable
robot as well as the experimental aspects of how naive subjects interact with this kind of
technology. Both endeavors have been critical to our research program.
Friendship This challenge problem is perhaps the ultimate achievement in building a
sociable robot. What would be required to build a robot that could be a genuine friend? We
see examples of such robots in science fiction such as R2-D2 or C-3PO from the movie Star
Wars, Lt. Commander Data from the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, or the
android Andrew from Isaac Asimov’s short story Bicentennial Man. These robots exhibit
some of our most prized human qualities. They have rich personalities, show compassion
and kindness, can empathize and relate to their human counterparts, are loyal to their friends
to the point of risking their own existence, behave with honor, and have a sense of character
and honor.
Personhood This challenge problem is not one of engineering, but one for society. What
are the social implications of building a sociable machine that is capable of being a genuine
friend? When is a machine no longer just a machine, but an intelligent and “living” entity
that merits the same respect and consideration given to its biological counterparts? How
will society treat a socially intelligent artifact that is not human but nonetheless seems to be
a person? How we ultimately treat these machines, whether or not we grant them the status
of personhood, will reflect upon ourselves and on society.