麻豆传媒

So, what do you do?

I鈥檓 a researcher at MIT, where I study human-machine interaction from a social, legal and ethical perspective.

When humans interact with machines like robots, they often seem to develop an emotional connection. Why?

We are very social creatures and we tend to subconsciously treat robots like they are alive, even though we know they are just machines. Part of this comes from our tendency to anthropomorphise, i.e. to project human traits, motivations and behaviours onto non-humans, like our pets. We do this in order to make sense of the world around us. Robots move around in our physical space in a way that seems to have agency, so we are hardwired to perceive them more like a living thing than an object. Plus, some robots are intentionally designed to look alive or mimic social cues. When a robot behaves in a way that we recognise and empathise with, we can become emotionally attached.

Do we engage more with robots that look human?

A lot of it is about projecting ourselves, so designing a robot to mimic certain aspects of human emotion can make a robot engaging. But the robot doesn鈥檛 necessarily need to look human. R2-D2 from Star Wars only communicates through beeps and boops, yet he has more fans than his humanoid partner C-3PO. In fact, more than 80 per cent of people will name their robotic vacuum cleaner, which isn鈥檛 even designed to be social.

How did you end up working in this field?

I have always been passionate about studying how systems change human behaviour. Plus, I love robots, and now I get to play with them every day.

Your upcoming book is about animals. Are there parallels with robots?

Yes. The book looks at our history of domesticating animals for work, weaponry and companionship, and draws out lessons on how to integrate robotic technology. There are many parallels to how we could be thinking about robots, from workplace use to responsibility for harm to social relationships.

How has your field of study changed in the time you have been working in it?

A decade ago, people viewed studying human-robot interaction as fringe. Now that robots are coming into workplaces, households and public spaces, the importance of understanding their social impact is more salient and the field is growing. I鈥檓 glad people no longer think I鈥檓 weird!

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a singer, which my husband thinks is very funny.

鈥淔or hundreds of years, we put animals on trial for the crimes they committed鈥�

What scientific development do you hope to see in your lifetime?

Better breast-pumping technology.

What鈥檚 the best thing you鈥檝e read or seen in the past 12 months?

Everything by The Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petri.

If you could have a conversation with any scientist, living or dead, who would it be?

Katie Mack, a theoretical astrophysicist who has inspired people all over the world to be interested in science. I would love to talk to her about how she taps into our wonder and excitement.

Do you have an unexpected hobby, and if so, please will you tell us about it?

I love rock shows! My brother is in a European glam rock band called Bitch Queens.

How useful will your skills be after the apocalypse?

If the apocalypse is a robot uprising, very.

OK, one last thing: tell us something that will blow our minds鈥�

For hundreds of years, we put animals on trial for the crimes they committed. There is even a movie, The Hour of the Pig, based on a true story and starring Colin Firth as a lawyer defending a pig.