Robots! (3/5): Next up for AI? Dancing robots | Catie Cuan
Summary
Host Sherelle Dorsey opens with a playlist featuring Erykah Badu’s robot companion, setting the stage for a discussion on robots in daily life. The main segment features choreographer and roboticist Katie Kuan, who explores "choreorobotics" to teach machines human-like movement. Kuan shares her work at Google’s Everyday Robots, where she used AI to train 15 robots to move as a flock in her installation, Project Starling. She argues that designing robots with intentional, graceful motion is essential for creating empathetic machines that feel safe and welcoming in our homes and workplaces.
Topics discussed
Intro: Robots in daily life and empathetic design
Introduction of speaker Katie Kuan
Sponsor: Capital One AI car shopping
Sponsor: LA28 Olympic Hospitality
Sponsor: Planet Visionaries podcast
Choreorobotics: Movement and emotion
AI giving robots physical intelligence
Why teaching robots to dance matters
Contextual movement and AI learning
Project Starling: Flocking robots at Google
Project Starling: Interactive performance details
Future scenarios: Robots in senior care
Conclusion: Choreographing the future
Credits and production team
Sponsor: Capital One (repeat)
Sponsor: Verizon Fios 5 Gig
Sponsor: Schwab investing
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