Would You Let a Robot Take Care of Your Mother? NYT.com

Author Maggie Jackson’s latest article in the New York Times is raising some questions about domestic robots for the elderly: Robotic companions are being promoted as an antidote to the burden of longer, lonelier human lives. At stake is the future of what it means to be human. I was briefly quoted about the ethical … Continue reading Would You Let a Robot Take Care of Your Mother? NYT.com

Author Maggie Jackson’s latest article in the New York Times is raising some questions about domestic robots for the elderly:

Robotic companions are being promoted as an antidote to the burden of longer, lonelier human lives. At stake is the future of what it means to be human.

I was briefly quoted about the ethical dilemma:

Many in the field see the tensions and dilemmas in robot care, yet believe the benefits can outweigh the risks. The technology is “intended to help older adults carry out their daily lives,” says Richard Pak, a Clemson University scientist who studies the intersection of human psychology and technology design, including robots. “If the cost is sort of tricking people in a sense, I think, without knowing what the future holds, that might be a worthy trade-off.” Still he wonders, “Is this the right thing to do?”

[humanautonomy.com] Dr. Mica Endsley: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities In Human-Autonomy Research

We had a chance to interview Dr. Mica Endsley about her thoughts on autonomy. The social science research that we cover in this blog is carried out by a multitude of talented scientists across the world; each studying a different facet of the problem. In our second post in a new series, we interview one … Continue reading [humanautonomy.com] Dr. Mica Endsley: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities In Human-Autonomy Research

The post [humanautonomy.com] Dr. Mica Endsley: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities In Human-Autonomy Research first appeared on the Human Factors Blog.

We had a chance to interview Dr. Mica Endsley about her thoughts on autonomy.

The social science research that we cover in this blog is carried out by a multitude of talented scientists across the world; each studying a different facet of the problem. In our second post in a new series, we interview one the leaders in the study of the human factors of autonomy, Dr. Mica Endsley.

The post [humanautonomy.com] Dr. Mica Endsley: Current Challenges and Future Opportunities In Human-Autonomy Research first appeared on the Human Factors Blog.

Down on the farm: Human factors psychologist Margaux Ascherl optimizes technology to make farming more efficient

Complimenting the previous post about applied psychology, this new article dives into how one human factors PhD, Margaux Ascherl, is working to make farming more efficient with technology (she also happens to be my former student!): The world’s population of 7.3 billion is predicted to grow to 9.7 billion by 2050, according to the Global … Continue reading Down on the farm: Human factors psychologist Margaux Ascherl optimizes technology to make farming more efficient

The post Down on the farm: Human factors psychologist Margaux Ascherl optimizes technology to make farming more efficient first appeared on the Human Factors Blog.

Complimenting the previous post about applied psychology, this new article dives into how one human factors PhD, Margaux Ascherl, is working to make farming more efficient with technology (she also happens to be my former student!):

The world’s population of 7.3 billion is predicted to grow to 9.7 billion by 2050, according to the Global Harvest Initiative. To feed all those people, global agricultural productivity must increase by 1.75 percent annually.

One person working to drive this increase is Margaux Ascherl, PhD, user experience leader at John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group in Urbandale, Iowa. John Deere recruited Ascherl in late 2012 while she was finishing her PhD in human factors psychology at Clemson University. Five years later, she now leads a team responsible for the design and testing of precision agriculture technology used in John Deere equipment.

Ascherl spoke to the Monitor about what it’s like to apply psychology in an agricultural context and how her team is helping farmers embrace new technology to feed the world.

The post Down on the farm: Human factors psychologist Margaux Ascherl optimizes technology to make farming more efficient first appeared on the Human Factors Blog.

Human-Robot/AI Relationships: Interview with Dr. Julie Carpenter

Over at https://HumanAutonomy.com, we had a chance to interview Dr. Julie Carpenter about her research on human-robot/AI relationships. As the first post in a series, we interview one the pioneers in the study of human-AI relationships, Dr. Julie Carpenter. She has over 15 years of experience in human-centered design and human-AI interaction research, teaching, and … Continue reading Human-Robot/AI Relationships: Interview with Dr. Julie Carpenter

The post Human-Robot/AI Relationships: Interview with Dr. Julie Carpenter first appeared on the Human Factors Blog.

Over at https://HumanAutonomy.com, we had a chance to interview Dr. Julie Carpenter about her research on human-robot/AI relationships.

As the first post in a series, we interview one the pioneers in the study of human-AI relationships, Dr. Julie Carpenter. She has over 15 years of experience in human-centered design and human-AI interaction research, teaching, and writing. Her principal research is about how culture influences human perception of AI and robotic systems and the associated human factors such as user trust and decision-making in human-robot cooperative interactions in natural use-case environments.

The post Human-Robot/AI Relationships: Interview with Dr. Julie Carpenter first appeared on the Human Factors Blog.