
There is considerable desire to introduce large numbers of robots into our everyday, but there are some core challenges - one of the top ones being that interacting with robots is needlessly painful! We, the creators, have been misguidedly adding to this pain in an attempt to address the common phenomena that users expect 100% performance from machines.. even though they don’t necessarily perform at that level. This body of work deeply probes this question to yield practical insights & to inform efforts on both the fundamental paradigm for robotic systems & for the core capabilities prioritised for delivery
Fortuitously, there is an opportunity to build on the considerable wealth of high quality artefacts & knowledge already out there. We have unprecedented access to advanced technical core capabilities such as sensing & perception, reasoning, manipulation & to deep knowledge in sociocontexutal behaviours-cues to meaning mapping. We can to proactively leverage these & interact with them to achieve ‘better’ outcomes.
This talk presents compelling evidence that by leveraging this paradigm in a number of cases that, there is simply “no need for code” as it is reasonable for the robot to “work it out itself”. It will make it clear that we’ll work side-byside with robots, but interacting with them doesn’t need to be painful. The insights & framework presented provides practical means to ensure it is not!
With over a decade of experience as a faculty member at institutions like Stanford University & the University of Technology Sydney and a diverse educational background encompassing Robotics, Mechatronics, Psychology, & Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Nathan brings a wealth of expertise to the table. His qualifications include recognition as the Most Innovative Engineer by Engineers Australia & being named in the Brilliant Ten by US Popular Science. As the Founding Director of Robotics Australia Group & a Ventures Partner at a specialised robotics-focused Venture Capital firm, he has played pivotal roles in shaping the landscape of robotics & advanced manufacturing with a HRI perspective.