Ishiguro's Robots

In this talk

1. 0:59

   Robots as a way to study people

   Ishiguro says building robots offers a practical way to investigate human behavior alongside fields such as neuroscience and cognitive science. He argues that people are especially equipped to recognize other people, which makes humanlike machines compelling in daily settings.

2. 3:01

   Putting robots to work

   He describes robots guiding visitors in a Japanese shopping mall and a proposed robot café, supported by camera and laser sensor networks. Combining remote operators with autonomous functions could let one person supervise as many as 10 robots and make services more practical.

3. 14:07

   Telepresence and the feeling of a body

   Ishiguro explains a remotely operated android whose voice and lip movements are controlled by a person while some motions run automatically. Synchronized movement can lead an operator to experience the android as a body of their own, even including a sensation of touch without a physical feedback device.

4. 30:31

   Designing for human imagination

   Ishiguro says people recognize others through multiple cues, including appearance, voice, smell, and expression. A neutral-looking robot can invite people to imagine who is speaking, and he describes older adults in Japan, Australia, and Denmark talking readily with one.

5. 39:05

   Technology and the boundaries of humanity

   Ishiguro sees humanlike robots as part of a continuing shift in how society defines a person, including acceptance of artificial limbs. He says new technologies can bring both benefits and misuse, and that society must discuss how they are used.