Social Robotics Girl Becomes a Social Robot
A Hands-On Workshop to Design and Construct Virtual or Physical Embodiments for Social Robotics Girl
ICSR 2025, 10 September 2025, Naples, Italy
Thank you to all participants!
Organizers
Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel, FHNW School of Business, Switzerland
Tamara Siegmann, FHNW School of Business, Switzerland
Leo Angelo Cabibihan, Roboticscool, Qatar
Prof. Dr. John-John Cabibihan, Qatar University, Qatar
Workshop Description and Objectives
Social Robotics Girl is a chatbot – a so-called custom GPT – used in social robotics courses by Oliver Bendel, e.g., in the “Social Robots” elective module at the FHNW School of Business. It was supplemented with manuscripts on social robotics with the help of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). For more details, please refer to this link: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-TbhZSZaer-social-robotics-girl …
This hands-on workshop explores how to extend Social Robotics Girl into a physical and/or virtual embodied social robot. By integrating the GPT into a simple humanoid robotic structure, such as a robotic head, bust, or body, participants will examine how embodiment can influence functionality, user interaction, and perceived social presence.
Key objectives include:
Developing a custom GPT using methods like retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
Understanding the role of embodiment in AI-driven robotics.
Designing and constructing a functional robotic embodiment for Social Robotics Girl.
Investigating the impact of gendered and gender-neutral robotic designs.
Evaluating challenges and ethical considerations in embodied AI.
Participants will work in teams to design, build, and test a virtual or a physical prototype of Social Robotics Girl, exploring its potential as an interactive, socially engaging robot.
Workshop Agenda
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Introduction to Social Robotics Girl and Basics of creating GPTs (Oliver Bendel, Tamara Siegmann) |
| 11:00 – 11:45 | Fundamentals of embodiment in social robotics and Introduction to Meshy (John-John Cabibihan, Leo Angelo Cabibihan) |
| 11:45 – 12:30 | Group Work: Defining the appearance of Social Robotics Girl (All participants) |
| 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Break |
| 13:30 – 15:30 | Group Work: Developing the embodiment of Social Robotics Girl (All participants) |
| 15:30 – 16:00 | Coffee Break |
| 16:00 – 16:30 | Group Work: Animation of the character and/or preparation of the 3D-printing of the character (All participants) |
| 16:30 – 17:15 | Group Work: Testing, iteration, and enhancements (All participants) |
| 17:15 – 18:00 | Final discussion and farewell remarks (All participants, Oliver Bendel, Tamara Siegmann, John-John Cabibihan, Leo Angelo Cabibihan) |
The 3D models can be picked up and painted the following day.
Intended Audience and Participation Plan
The workshop is open to students, researchers, engineers, and designers interested in social robotics, human-robot interaction, and AI embodiment. While prior experience with GPT customization is not required, knowledge in design, robotics, or software development will be beneficial. The workshop encourages a diverse set of competencies, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach.
Requirements for participation
Participants must bring a laptop (applications such as Meshy must be started).
They should have access to Social Robotics Girl (https://chatgpt.com/g/g-TbhZSZaer-social-robotics-girl).
Giveaways
Participants will receive the file of the virtual, animated avatar and/or the printed figure (one per group). Here is an example.
Participants will receive the video on the production of the printed figure. Here is an example.
Registration
The workshop is fully booked. Unfortunately, no further registrations are possible.
List of Topics Covered
Embodiment in AI and Robotics
Design Principles for Social Robots
Technical Implementation of Social Robots
Integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) into Physical Robot Platforms
Ethical Considerations in Robot Design
