August 24, 2012

Using Robots to Study Self Awareness




Justin Hart (Computer Science) and his adviser Brian Scassellati are pursuing research into human self-awareness using a humanoid robot, Nico. Their work stands at the crossroads of computer science and psychology and complements the work of psychologists, neuroscientists, sociologists, and anthropologists. They use computational models to emulate human social behavior, and in the process, understand it in new ways. Recently, the lab (along with MIT, Stanford, and USC) won a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create "socially assistive" robots that can serve as companions for children with special needs. These robots will help with everything from cognitive skills to getting the right amount of exercise.