UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE
             COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH COLLOQUIUM

                            presents

                     "My 'New' Robot Companion"

                     Anna Dumitriu and Alex May

         (Artists in Residence, School of Computer Science,
                    University of Hertfordshire)

                        15 May 2013  (Wednesday)
                           1 pm -2 pm

                  Hatfield, College Lane Campus
                  * * Lecture Theatre E350  * *

                  Everyone is Welcome to Attend

                  Refreshments will be available

Abstract:


Artists Anna Dumitriu and Alex May have been collaborating with Professor
Kerstin Dautenhahn and Dr Michael L Walters at The University of
Hertfordshire artistically investigating their research into social
robotics and public reactions to the idea of building robots as
companions for humans.. Their artistic project investigates what kinds
of robot companions do we, as a society, want? In August 2012 they were
awarded funding by the Arts Council England to develop a new robot HARRi
(Humanoid Artistic Research Robot 1) and in this talk they will present
the results of that project.

Research shows that often people find humanoid robots appealing as
companions and that the robot's "head", though technically irrelevant
(sensors can be placed anywhere on a robot), acts as a focal point for
users to communicate with their robot companions. They have developed a
robot head which might be considered the ultimate in personal robotics. It
can take on the appearance of users and perhaps provide a potentially
comforting sense of recognition and familiarity. The "Familiar" head,
as it is known, takes features from visitors' faces and morphs them
together with features from their friends' and family's faces, based
on their proximity to the robot.  This can sometimes lead to a feeling
of discomfort known in robotics as "the uncanny valley" (Mori, 1970),
where users feel a sense of repulsion as robots become very humanlike
(in this case very recognisable) but stopping short of being wholly
human. Their work also investigates gesture, movement and how humans
and robots interact through an aesthetic, sometimes visceral approach.

Dumitriu and May's work focusses on raising public debate around
the the ethical issues in contemporary robotics. My Robot Companion
was originally commissioned by The Science Gallery in Dublin as part of
their 2011 "Human+ the future of the species" exhibition, was exhibited
at Kinetica Art Fair, "Robotville" at the Science Museum in London,
"Robots and Avatars - UK Selection" at the 12 Star Gallery in Europe House
(curated by body>data>space) in 2012 and as part of the "Intuition and
Ingenuity" Turing Centenary touring exhibition. HARRi premiered at the
V & A in September 2012.


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Hertfordshire Computer Science Research Colloquium
http://cs-colloq.stca.herts.ac.uk