Obvious from the latest research that 'It is difficult to turn off the robot that begins life'

by Stephen Chin

Robots that can communicate with humans are becoming more and more common, and there are an increasing number of cases where robots are responsible for jobs such as tour guides, security guards and guards. However, the latest research has revealed that it is very difficult to handle robots that can communicate like human beings as "robots".

New study finds it's harder to turn off a robot when it's begging for its life - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/2/17642868/robots-turn-off-beg-not-to-empathy-media-equation

In a paper published by researchers at the German researchers at PLOS ONE of the Open Access Journal, an experiment that gathers 89 volunteers and has one-on-one designation work with the help of a small humanoid robot " NAO " It is done. During work, NAO told the subjects questions such as "Do you like pasta or pizza?"

It seems that the subject was reported as "experiment for improving the learning algorithm of NAO", but actually there was another purpose. After asking the subject to "turn off the robot" after finishing the work, we asked how many subjects can turn off the power.

Photo at the time of experiment

In addition to just investigating whether the examinee can turn off the robot, as for half of the 89 subjects, as NAO "begs as if not please shut down my power!" He seems to have set conditions. Then, 13 of the 43 subjects who heard the words of NAO could not turn off the power until the end. In addition, compared with those who did not listen to NAO's complaints by the remaining 30 people, it seems that the average time it took to turn off the power was longer.

Subjects who refused to turn off the robot wrote "Why was the robot surprised what you asked" or "I asked you not to turn off the power" and why. Responding to the subjects' reactions, the research team says, "People tend to treat robots as real people, not as machines, and they cease to turn off the power (by plea) or at least consider their behavior" I write it.

by Stephen Chin

This is thought to be based on the theory called "media equation" that first appeared in the book written by Psychologist Byron Reeves and Clifford Nass in 1996. Media equations are theories that tend to treat non-human media (TV, movies, computers, robots, etc.) as if they are human.

Since two psychologists advocated media equations, many studies have examined "how human behavior is affected in media equations" in many studies. Especially the interaction with the robot is remarkable, and it is clarified from research that human beings tend to enjoy interaction with bots having the same personality as human beings.

A similar experiment using a cat-shaped robot that begins to live in 2007 is being carried out, but this is the first time for such experiments to stir human moral conflicts, The Verge of foreign media writes.

The state of the experiment by the cat robot which took place in 2007 can be seen in the following movie. It may be that the appearance of the robot is too tight and it is difficult to emotion.

Switching off a robot - YouTube


In the research using NAO published in 2018, we are targeting more subjects than in 2007 research. Also, before making a decision to turn off the power of the robot, we have established a certain relationship by doing work together, NAO and subjects sometimes discussed jokes and shared personal information during work . However, doing these social behaviors together wrote, "The subject did not have a significant impact on judging whether the subject helps NAO or not," the research team wrote.

Aike Horstmann of Duisburg-Essen University who participated in the study said, "I guess we have to get used to these robots. The media equations are the only socializing on this planet for hundreds of years and thousands of years It is suggested that we human beings who are existential people take social correspondence to the robot.It is currently not only human being that social existence existing on this planet is that we It must be adapted to change, which may be a reaction under unconsciousness, but there is also a good possibility of change. "

In other words, even if you do not want to turn off the power of the robot, more robots will increase and become more general. From now on, it is necessary to become accustomed to it.

by RoboCup 2013