Author: Oliver Bendel

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ARTE about Social Robots

Since January 20, 2022, the ARTE broadcast “Werden wir Roboter lieben?” (“Will we love robots?”) has been available online. On February 19, 2022, the classic version will follow on the German-French culture channel. Tanja Küchle has masterfully presented and implemented a difficult topic. “According to estimates, there are now more than 1.7 million robots with social characteristics worldwide. They care for, educate, help, and entertain us. There have also long been highly engineered sex robots. But can these machines actually develop feelings – or even feel love?” (Website ARTE, own translation) Prof. Dr. Peter Robinson, computer scientist at the University of Cambridge, Dr. Hooman Samani, roboticist at the University of Plymouth, Prof. Dr. Martin Fischer, cognitive psychologist at the University of Potsdam, Prof. Dr. Catrin Misselhorn, philosopher at the University of Göttingen, and Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel, information and machine ethicist at the School of Business FHNW, have their say. Oliver Bendel has been researching conversational agents and social robots for more than 20 years and has published the Springer book “Social Robots” at the end of 2021. More information on the program via www.arte.tv/de/videos/101938-004-A/42-die-antwort-auf-fast-alles/ (photo: ARTE).

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Robots by the Hour

“Robots by the Hour” – this is the motto of Formic. The company, which is based in Chicago, buys standard robot arms that perform a simple, repetitive job (such as lifting a piece of metal into a press, which then bends the metal into a new shape) and leases them along with its own software. Wired magazine writes: “They’re among a small but growing number of robots finding their way into workplaces on a pay-as-you-go basis.” (Wired, 18 January 2022) ​Polar is one of the companies trying out the leasing offer. Jose Figueroa​, who manages Polar’s production line, says the robot “costs the equivalent of $8 per hour, compared with a minimum wage of $15 per hour for a human employee. Deploying the robot allowed a human worker to do different work, increasing output …” (Wired, 18 January 2022) Formic writes on its website: “We didn’t invent automated systems, but we democratized them. Because technology doesn’t change the world until you make it accessible to those who need it most. Automation is a necessity, not a luxury. And our mission is to continue the American legacy of innovation by making it your reality.” The future will show whether there is a market for leasing robots.

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CfP for Robophilosophy 2022

Robophilosophy 2022 is the fifth event in the biennial Robophilosophy Conference Series. The first call for papers (CfP) was published in November 2021, and the second at the end of 2021. The extended deadline for submissions of extended abstracts and full papers is February 28, 2022. The event “will explore the societal significance of social robots for the future of social institutions with its usual broad scope, embracing both theoretical and practical angles” (CfP Robophilosophy). It “is an invitation to philosophers and other SSH researchers, as well as researchers in social robotics and HRI, to investigate from interdisciplinarily informed perspectives whether and how social robotics as an interdisciplinary endeavour can contribute to the ability of our institutions to perform their functions in society” (CfP Robophilosophy). Topics of interest include robots and social institutions in general, robots in law and policing, robots in healthcare, and robots and social justice. The conference will be held at the University of Helsinki in Finland from August 16-19, 2022. More information via www.rp2022.org.

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Will We Love Robots?

“It is estimated that there are now more than 1.7 million robots with social attributes worldwide. They care for, educate, help, and entertain us. There have also long been highly engineered sex robots. But can these machines actually develop feelings – or even feel love?” (Website ARTE, own translation) ARTE asks this question in the series “42 – Die Antwort auf fast alles” (“42 – The Answer to Almost Everything”). The program “Werden wir Roboter lieben?” (“Will we love robots?”) will be broadcast on February 19, 2022. The online version is already available from January 20. Dr. Hooman Samani, a robotics expert at the University of Plymouth, Prof. Dr. Martin Fischer, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Potsdam, and Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel, an information and machine ethicist at the Hochschule für Wirtschaft FHNW, will have their say. Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel has been researching conversational agents and social robots for more than 20 years and has published the Springer book “Soziale Roboter” (“Social Robots”) at the end of 2021. More information on the program via www.arte.tv/de/videos/101938-004-A/42-die-antwort-auf-fast-alles/.

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Paper on the SPACE THEA Project

The paper “The SPACE THEA Project” by Martin Spathelf and Oliver Bendel was accepted at the AAAI 2022 Spring Symposia (Stanford University). The two authors will present it at the end of March 2022 at the symposium “How Fair is Fair? Achieving Wellbeing AI”. From the abstract: “In some situations, no professional human contact can be available. Accordingly, one remains alone with one’s problems and fears. A manned Mars flight is certainly such a situation. A voice assistant that shows empathy and assists the astronauts could be a solution. In the SPACE THEA project, a prototype with such capabilities was developed using Google Assistant and Dialogflow Essentials. The voice assistant has a personality based on characteristics such as functional intelligence, sincerity, creativity, and emotional intelligence. It proves itself in seven different scenarios designed to represent the daily lives of astronauts, addressing operational crises and human problems. The paper describes the seven scenarios in detail, and lists technical and conceptual foundations of the voice assistant. Finally, the most important results are stated and the chapters are summarized.” More information about the AAAI 2022 Spring Symposia is available here.

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Social Robots at Stanford University

The paper “Should Social Robots in Retail Manipulate Customers?” by Oliver Bendel and Liliana Margarida Dos Santos Alves was accepted at the AAAI 2022 Spring Symposia (Stanford University). The two authors will present it at the end of March 2022 at the symposium “How Fair is Fair? Achieving Wellbeing AI”. From the abstract: “Against the backdrop of structural changes in the retail trade, social robots have found their way into retail stores and shopping malls in order to attract, welcome, and greet customers; to inform them, advise them, and persuade them to make a purchase. Salespeople often have a broad knowledge of their product and rely on offering competent and honest advice, whether it be on shoes, clothing, or kitchen appliances. However, some frequently use sales tricks to secure purchases. The question arises of how consulting and sales robots should ‘behave’. Should they behave like human advisors and salespeople, i.e., occasionally manipulate customers? Or should they be more honest and reliable than us? This article tries to answer these questions. After explaining the basics, it evaluates a study in this context and gives recommendations for companies that want to use consulting and sales robots. Ultimately, fair, honest, and trustworthy robots in retail are a win-win situation for all concerned.” More information about the AAAI 2022 Spring Symposia is available here.

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Ameca’s Smile

UK-based company Engineered Arts showed off one of its creations in a YouTube video in late 2021. The humanoid robot Ameca makes a series of fascinating human-like facial expressions. The Verge magazine describes this process: “At the start of the video, Ameca appears to ‘wake up,’ as its face conveys a mix of confusion and frustration when it opens its eyes. But when Ameca starts looking at its hands and arms, the robot opens its mouth and raises its brows in what it looks like is amazement. The end of the video shows Ameca smiling and holding a welcoming hand out towards the viewer – if that’s how you want to interpret that gesture.” (The Verge, 5 December 2021) However, this smile does not turn out perfectly – a problem that affects all androids. Almost every emotional movement can now be simulated well – except for the one whose expression is the smile. Only when this problem is solved will Sophia, Erica, and Ameca be able to get out of Uncanny Valley (Photo: Engineered Arts, from the YouTube Video).

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Human and Animal Enhancement in the Context of Architecture

The 17th International Architecture Exhibition – the entire series, including the art section, is known as La Biennale di Venezia – ran from 22 May to 21 November 2021, with the Salon Suisse curated by architect and publicist Evelyn Steiner. On 18 November 2021, the event “Jethro Knights, Armor Guyver, and Mutant X: How transhumanists challenge architecture” took place. Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel gave a talk on “Human and animal enhancement in the context of architecture”, followed by a discussion with Mike Schaffner (a Swiss cyborg) and Prof. Dr. Georg Vrachliotis (an architect at TU Delft). First, the information and machine ethicist clarified key terms such as “human enhancement”, “animal enhancement”, “biohacking”, “bodyhacking”, “cyborg”, and “transhumanism”. He also brought in his own terms “robot enhancement” and “reversed cyborg” or “inverted cyborg”. He then presented examples of human enhancement and animal enhancement, including in the context of architecture: cats with chips getting into the house, humans with chips bringing the smart home to adaptations, animals and humans with chips and transmitters detected in time in traffic, and enhanced and improved organisms that can live on alien planets. He concluded by offering ethical considerations. He was open to the idea of cyborgs and critical of the transhumanism movement. The booklet on Salon Suisse is available here.

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Bodyhacking as Movement, Enhancement, and Adaptation

In November 2021, “Mensch. Maschine. Kommunikation” (eds. Sarah Brommer and Christa Dürscheid) was published by Narr. The two editors introduce the topic in “Mensch-Mensch- und Mensch-Maschine-Kommunikation”. In the “Mensch-Mensch-Kommunikation via Maschine” part, the contributions come from Linda Bosshart (“WhatsApp, iMessage und E-Mail”), Roberto Tanchis and Leonie Walder (“Animojis”), Mia Jenni (“Die weinende, virtuelle Influencerin”), and Florina Zülli (“‘Neuer Partner’ in den Warenkorb hinzufügen?”). The part “Mensch-Maschine-Kommunikation I: Kommunikation mit Robotern” is represented by Ilona Straub (“Die Mensch-Roboter-Interaktion”), Jana Seebass (“Roboter als Partnerersatz”), Rahel Staubli (“Vertrauen in Lio und Co.”), and Andrea Knoepfli (“Mit welchen Strategien erzeugen Pflegeroboter Vertrauen?”). The part “Mensch-Maschine-Kommunikation II: Kommunikation mit Assistenzsystemen” is the work of Julia Degelo (“Der wütende Mann, die höfliche Frau – und die Frage nach dem Dazwischen”) and Ann Fuchs and Zora Naef (“Smart Homes im öffentlichen Diskurs”). The book (part “Exkurs: Mensch. Maschine. Menschmaschine”) is concluded by Oliver Bendel with his contribution “Chips, Devices, and Machines within Humans”. He discusses “Bodyhacking as Movement, Enhancement, and Adaptation”. The publication can be downloaded for free here.

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The Hologram Girl Grew Up

Japanese company Gatebox has taken its holographic assistant to a new level in 2021 with the unveiling of Gatebox Grande. This is reported by HYPEBEAST. The hologram, which is now the size of an adult, is displayed on a 65-inch screen and can be used for applications such as a digital concierge or as an advisor and salesperson in a shopping mall. This makes the intelligent assistant a competitor to social robots like Pepper, Cruzr, and Paul. Inside the device “lives” a female anime character named Azuma Hikari, who can be “summoned” by voice or proximity activation. According to HYPEBEAST, she has a range of gestures, facial expressions, and voice tones to enable the most realistic interaction with the user. Life-size holograms will play a big role in the future. However, further research and development work is still needed.