Humanizing Social Robots

Explore the frontier of human-robot interaction with our Humanizing Social Robots course.

Unlock the future of human-robot interaction with our Humanizing Social Robots course. This interdisciplinary course explores how robots can be socially designed to understand, interpret, and respond to human emotions and affective behaviors using cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP) blending STEM into STEAM.

As automation becomes an integral part of our daily lives, the need for emotionally intelligent and socially aware robots is growing rapidly. From healthcare and education to customer service and entertainment, social robots are transforming how humans interact with machines. This course provides the foundational knowledge and practical skills to engage, connect, and evaluate robots that interact with people in meaningful, ethical, and human-centered ways.

Whether you’re a robotics engineer, AI developer, UX designer, or professional in healthcare, education, or technology, this course will equip you with critical insights into the human side of robotics. It’s also ideal for researchers, humanities scholars, and ethics professionals interested in the societal impact of robotics and AI.

Course Highlights

• History and Future of Robotics
• Social Robotics in Healthcare and Assistive Tech
• Robots in Art, Media, and Human Expression
• Ethical and Cultural Perspectives on HRI
• UX and Human-Centered Design for Robots
• Speech, Gesture, and Emotion Recognition in Robotics

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Humanizing Social Robots course, you will be able to:

• Understand the evolution of social robotics by analyzing historical, social, and cultural perspectives—from early industrial and service robots to modern emotional, companion, and relational robots.
• Communicate complex ideas about human-robot interaction (HRI) by writing and presenting insights that connect robotics with humanities, arts, and user experience.
• Evaluate the current social robotics industry, identifying its key benefits, limitations, and emerging trends across different sectors.
• Assess the ethical and moral challenges of human-robot interaction through the lens of robo-ethics, considering real-world implications of AI in daily life.
• Explore interdisciplinary collaborations between humans and robots in healthcare, education, business, assistive technology, and the creative arts.
• Apply humanities and arts-based thinking to enhance traditional STEM practices, leading to more intuitive and emotionally aware robotic systems.
• Improve human-robot interactions using UX methodologies, including user research, empathy mapping, qualitative and quantitative feedback, and user engagement strategies.
• Identify and design key human-robot communication systems, such as gesture recognition, voice and speech synthesis, and natural language processing. You'll learn how these systems support socially intelligent behavior and foster natural, authentic interactions between humans and robots.

Why Take This Course?

In a world where AI and robotics are rapidly shaping our social environments, the ability to humanize machines is not just a technical challenge—it’s a societal one. This course blends technology, ethics, humanities, and design to help you lead the development of socially intelligent and emotionally resonant robots that improve lives and build trust.

Course Details and Next Steps

• Course Typically Offered: Online, Winter and Summer quarter.
• Prerequisites: None
• Contact: For more information about this course, please email unexengr@ucsd.edu.