Rob Beschizza
Gear

PBS Special Tonight: Breazeal's Latest Sociable Robot

As a 10-year old, Cynthia Breazeal, creator of kismet, wrote a story about a robot. It didn’t have powerful weapons or amazing abilities, and it wasn’t a logical genius, capable of interfacing with mainframes to help heroes dismantle vast empires. This robot had emotions on a computer. Now one of America’s most recognizable robot engineers, […]

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As a 10-year old, Cynthia Breazeal, creator of kismet, wrote a story about a robot. It didn't have powerful weapons or amazing abilities, and it wasn't a logical genius, capable of interfacing with mainframes to help heroes dismantle vast empires. This robot had emotions on a computer.

Now one of America's most recognizable robot engineers, she'll appear in a segment on tonight's episode of PBS's NOVA scienceNOW to show off her latest work, a million dollar mogwai of ineffable cuteness.

"What does it really mean to design a robot that understands, interacts and treats people as people? ... If you look at the field of robotics today, they've been to the deepest ocean and they've been to Mars, but they're only just beginning to get into your living room. The living room is their final frontier"

It's one thing to design a robot that can relate with people. Designing people who're prepared to relate back is the bigger question.

NOVA scienceNOW airs 8 p.m. EST tonight on PBS. From tomorrow, the segment will also air at PBS' website.