When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute, we wanted people to take it seriously so we gave it more of an industrial look. People personified their Roomba anyway. Over 80 percent of people name their robot. We did nothing to encourage people to do that but they do it anyway.
Colin AngleThe reason it has taken so long for the robotics industry to move forward is because people keep trying to make something that is cool but difficult to achieve rather than trying to find solutions to actual human problems. Technology can be extremely expensive if you don't focus.
Colin AngleIn the end, robots do things that people can do. So there is a cost above which you can hire somebody to do it, and that bounds the opportunity.
Colin AngleIts going to be interesting to see how society deals with artificial intelligence, but it will definitely be cool.
Colin Angle