Ana Isabel Caniço Neto
Assistant Researcher at the University of Lisbon
Social robots are increasingly finding application in diverse settings, including our homes and schools, thus exposing children to interactions with multiple robots individually or in groups. Understanding how to design robots that can effectively interact and cooperate with children in these hybrid groups, in which each participant possesses unique characteristics and objectives, is crucial for ensuring satisfactory and enduring interactions. Such interactions are pivotal for fostering group prosocial behavior and cooperation over the long term. The research visit will focus on three main objectives. Firstly, reflect on how we can extend prosocial frameworks to suit interactions between children and robots. Secondly, it will identify and discuss potential metrics for measuring prosocial behaviors within hybrid groups of children and multi-party robots. Thirdly, it will examine how the perceived trustworthiness of the robot influences children’s prosocial behaviors, providing insights for future research endeavors. In addition to its significant scientific contributions to the understanding of prosocial behaviors and trustworthy AI, the visiting appointment will constitute a unique opportunity to boost the applicant’s academic career.
Keywords: Trustworthy AI; Social Robotics; Children-Robot Interaction; Prosocial behaviours
Scientific area: Artificial Intelligence, Human-Robot Interaction
Bio: Isabel Neto received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, in 2024. And is starting her research carreer after being 20+ years in the industry. My research focuses in the development of social agents aimed at fostering inclusion within educational settings, particularly in schools. To achieve this, she investigates how different modalities and robot roles, influence interactions among children with and without impairment.
Visiting period: 3 weeks at Prosocial Dynamics Lab in University of Amsterdam