From Human-Like to Human-Centric Robots: What Type of Alignment to Humans Do We Need?

Abstract: Today we are witnessing an increased robotisation in all areas of society, from manufacturing to assistive technology, from healthcare to education. These application areas require robots to be able to interact with humans in an efficient and socially acceptable manner. At the same time, like all technologies, robots may not only bring benefits, but also change how we think and behave. This calls for human-robot interaction researchers to design and develop more human-centric and trustworthy artificial intelligence and robotics, which put humans at the center and preserve human agency and autonomy. In this talk I will present examples of creating trustworthy human-robot interaction in education, healthcare and transportation systems from my research at the Uppsala Social Robotics Lab, investigating dimensions of human agency, autonomy, trust, transparency, and fairness, in the quest for more human-centric robots for the societal good.

Toward Flexible & Effective Human-Robot Teaming

Abstract: Despite nearly seventy years of development, robots are not yet realizing their promise of handling the undesirable day-to-day tasks of skilled industrial workers. Recent studies indicate that today’s robots are still too inflexible and difficult to program, particularly for less structured and high-variability tasks. In this talk, I will present three recent approaches to human-robot teaming that aim to unlock new opportunities for robots. These approaches address key questions in human-robot teaming, such as how to optimize human input during teaming and how skilled workers can teach robots complex behaviors. I will conclude by discussing ongoing work and open problems that can help us push toward more widespread human-robot teaming.