When a food delivery robot was observed struggling in flooded Los Angeles streets, social media users expressed sympathy. This reaction highlights a broader trend of human empathy towards autonomous machines.
Designing for Acceptance
As AI-powered robots become more common in public and private spaces, developers are increasingly designing them with appealing, often pet-like, appearances to foster human comfort and acceptance. Ellie Sanoubari, a robot designer and researcher, notes that designers aim to make products appear friendly and non-threatening.
"Designers aim to make products appear friendly and non-threatening."
She anticipates an increase in robots designed for human interaction, incorporating features such as larger heads, big eyes, and "cute" noises to evoke biological responses.
Examples in Industry
DoorDash Dot
DoorDash developed its delivery robot, Dot, to navigate urban environments while also promoting "human acceptance." Ashu Rege, Vice President of Autonomy for DoorDash, stated that Dot's round shape, based on human preference for rounded elements, and its large circular eyes are key design features. The robot uses eye contact and sounds to communicate intent with pedestrians.
Interaction Labs Ongo
Interaction Labs created Ongo, an interactive desk lamp, with input from an Oscar-nominated writer. Ongo is designed as a wide-eyed robot with a cartoonish voice and animated movements, aiming to function as a companion or AI agent that learns from users.
Sunday Robotics Memo
Sunday Robotics' Memo, a robot designed for household tasks, features a humanlike but not overly realistic appearance to avoid the "uncanny valley" effect. Fabian Fernandez-Han, marketing lead, described the design as resembling Nintendo or Lego characters, aiming for a balance between robust functionality and approachability.
Considerations and Future Trends
Sanoubari cautions that the emotional dependency observed with chatbots could extend to robots, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Sanoubari emphasizes the importance of transparency regarding the machine nature of these technologies.
Brian Comiskey, Senior Director of Innovation and Trends at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), noted that developers are balancing a robot's responsiveness with physical cuteness. Features like eyes, faces, and gestures facilitate quicker human attachment. The CTA reported over 600 robotics exhibitors at its annual Consumer Electronics Show, indicating significant growth in the consumer robotics industry driven by AI advancements. Comiskey anticipates the current decade will be characterized by the rise of "physical AI" in robotics.