The man in black

I am sat watching the man in black - no not the inimitable Mr J. Cash, but the venerable Japanese roboticist Professor Ishiguro-San.

I love Japanese robotics, its always so technically competent but rarely tells us much about human cognition and human social interaction. However, Ishiguro-san appears to be talking about social interaction, but I am not sure of his point - it is all so pre-programmed and designed. The intelligence is in the designer, not the builder. Mind you the robot is hot! ;)

There are exceptions though - two talks before a truely original Japanese robotics research gave us his view. Heideki Kozima-san showed Keepon. Not complicated, just a couple of squashy balls with eyes and nose. And yet, it really coerces true emotive and empathic responses from children (bot normally developing and autistic) and adults (the whole auditorium laughed and cooed at the right time).

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