Social robot
Technologically advanced robots were sent out to handle hazardous conditions and the assignments that could potentially put humans in danger, like exploring the deep oceans or the surface of Mars.
This method of (often covertly) controlling a social robot is referred to as a Mechanical Turk or Wizard of Oz, after the character in the L. Frank Baum book.
A robot is defined in the International Standard of Organization as a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for performance of a variety of tasks.
[2] The nature of the social interactions is immaterial and may range from relatively simple supportive tasks, such as passing tools to a worker, to complex expressive communication and collaboration, such as assistive healthcare.
Moreover, social robots start following humans into much more personal settings like home, health care, and education.
The usefulness to apply these requirements in a real-world application, especially in the case of Asimov's laws, is still disputed and may not be possible at all).
[12] The increasingly widespread use of more advanced social robots is one of several phenomena expected to contribute to the technological posthumanization of human societies, through which process “a society comes to include members other than ‘natural’ biological human beings who, in one way or another, contribute to the structures, dynamics, or meaning of the society.”[13] Social robots have been used increasingly in healthcare settings and recent research has been exploring the applicability of social robots as mental health interventions for children.
[14] A scoping review analyzed the impacts that robots such as Nao, Paro, Huggable, Tega and Pleo have on children in various intervention settings.
[14] Finally, this scoping review found that affect was positively impacted by interaction with robots—such that children smiled for longer and demonstrated growth-mindsets when playing games.
[14] It is worth noting that robots have increased benefits in that they can be used instead of animal-assisted therapy for children who are allergic or immunocompromised.
[14] Another review analyzed data from previous studies and found further support that social robots may reduce negative symptoms children experience in healthcare settings.
[15] Social robots can be used as tools for distracting children from procedures, like getting a shot, and have demonstrated the ability to reduce stress and pain experience.
[15] Children who interacted with both a psychotherapist and robot assistant for therapy experienced reduced anger, anxiety, and depression when coping with cancer compared to a control group.
[16] Previous research on the interactions between children with ASD and robots has demonstrated positive benefits, for instance shared attention, increased eye contact, and interpersonal synchrony.
[18] This study highlighted the ways in which some long-term care facilities may have minimal stimulation for dementia patients, which can lead to boredom and increased agitation.
[18] After completing the trial, caregivers and family members were asked to assess the individual with dementias' well-being and, overall, the group that interacted with Paro was perceived to be happier, more engaged, and less agitated.
[18] One of the main issues with utilizing Paro, despite its perceived benefits, is the cost—future research must investigate more cost effective options for older adult care.
[19] Some social robots also have a built in telepresence capacity that can be utilized such that individuals can videoconference with family, caregivers, and medical staff, which may decrease loneliness and isolation.
[29] The video capability of some robots is a potential avenue for social interaction and increasing accessibility of medical assessments.
Workplace difficulties arise when employees face illnesses, heavy workloads, or other obstacles preventing them from performing to their full potential.
[21] These robots can play a crucial role in alleviating pieces of tasks and the overall work demand for individual employees.
In instances like Europe has been facing with a lack of labor force within the service industry, social robots play a crucial role in entering and restoring relatively normal workplace functionality.
Sophia is a social humanoid robot that can display more than 50 facial expressions, and is the first non-human to be given a United Nations title.
