Talk by Daniel White on Model Emotion for Human-Robot Harmony in Japan

Unfortunately we have to postpone the Lecture by Jan Passoth and colleagues, which was scheduled for this week (2.07.). But we are looking forward to next week’s paper where Daniel White (Berlin) speaks about “Model Emotion for Human-Robot Harmony in Japan”.

Abstract

In recent years engineers in Japan have increasingly invested in building robotic platforms for companionship. In contrast to care robots applied in palliative care, companion robots are created for the mass market, and provide emotional support through light-hearted entertainment, conversation, and a sense of presence. Equipped with capacities for so-called “artificial emotional intelligence,” these robots not only connect with human users on an affective level but also invite them to interact in ways that enable the collection of new kinds of emotional data. This presentation explores the implications of these affective technologies, tracing emerging imaginaries in Japan about what AI is capable of and what social and emotional needs it might serve. Drawing from ethnographic work among robotics engineers in Japan, it applies the analytical concept of “model emotion” in order to understand how technical practices, theoretical paradigms, and ethical obligations mutually shape what it means to live well with artificial agents in contemporary Japan.

You can find more information about Daniel and the project on their website.

We will be live on Zoom Thursday, 9.07., 4-6pm.

https://ruhr-uni-bochum.zoom.us/j/99886635576?pwd=R3lMdmlIMjRBSWhnazNNbERPM1phdz09

Meeting ID: 998 8663 5576

Password: raum4?