Title: Social Humanoid Robots: What for, What next?

Abstract: Since more than a decade, researchers have started to produce realistic social humanoid robots. The early pioneers have produced robots similar to themselves as Professor Hishiguro in Japan, Others as David Hanson have represented their wife or companion. There was a willingness since the beginning of producing humanoid robots to clone the face of a well- known person and produce it most of the time as a selfie robot. Now we are moving on and social humanoid robots start to be used in various settings as receptionist or customer agent. In our talk, we will show the research done around Nadine and the AI modules that allow her to perceive her environment as well as those who allow her to understand the language and gestures and also use a memory. We will show how we build new 3D robots from scan to 3D modelling, 3D fabrication and the production of motors. Concrete Case studies will be shown of Nadine at the ArtScience Museum and Nadine working in an insurance company in Singapore. Ethical part and what is expected in the behaviour of a robot will be also be discussed and presented as future interdisciplinary research.

Bio: Professor Thalmann joined NTU in August 2009 as the Director of the interdisciplinary Institute for Media Innovation.  She has authored dozens of books, published more than 600 papers on virtual humans/virtual worlds and social robots (jointly with her PhD students), organized major conferences as CGI, CASA, and delivered more than 300 keynote addresses, some of them at global events such as the World Economic Forum in Davos. During her illustrious career, she also established MIRALab in Switzerland, a ground-breaking interdisciplinary multimedia research institute. She participated in more than 50 European research projects, helping MIRALab to develop revolutionizing interdisciplinary research in computer graphics, computer animation, and virtual worlds and producing impactful work that synergizes art, fashion, computer graphics. Her work is regularly displayed at museums, galleries and fashion shows. Her most recent work includes the 3D virtual patient, including a case study on visualizing the articulations of ballerinas while dancing or soccer players.     In NTU, Singapore, recently, she revolutionized social robotics by unveiling the first social robot Nadine that can have mood and emotions and remember people and actions. Besides having bachelor’s and master’s degrees in disciplines such as psychology, biology, chemistry and computer science, Professor Thalmann completed her PhD in quantum physics at the University of Geneva.  She has received honorary doctorates from Leibniz University of Hannover and the University of Ottawa in Canada and several prestigious other awards as the Humboldt Research Award in Germany. She is Editor-in-Chief of The Visual Computer, co-Editor-in-Chief of Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds, and editor of many other scientific journals. She is a life member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences.