The presenter talked about how she was chosen to lead the development of a new generation of rovers because she had recently completed her Ph.D. and was eager to learn new things. She put together a team of computer scientists, engineers, and scientists. One of the critical challenges they faced was a translation to improve the robots’ programming with various features.
The speaker also talked about how she assisted in integrating machine learning into the rovers, making her future work a reality. She rebooted the robot and carried on her investigation of potential solutions. The fact that NASA teaches its employees to speak in front of groups of people so they can share their fascinating work with the world was one of the most surprising things I discovered. The presenter herself was prepared to speak with children in schools and colleges.
She began conducting workshops for high school and middle school students. When a visually impaired child attended one of her courses, the speaker was motivated to use robotics to improve accessibility and technology. She also became interested in robotics’ potential to advance healthcare, particularly for children. She made note of the 150 million disabled children around the world and sought out ways to assist them.
She started by observing how humans interact with one another to understand better how robots could be created to assist those who are disabled. She attended youngsters in a secure setting but discovered that each child behaved differently, making it challenging to keep track of them. She was nonetheless adamant about finding a solution.
The speaker’s work on human-computer interface (HCI) in pediatric healthcare is crucial. She has contributed to a paradigm shift toward an integrated ecosystem in which technology is effortlessly woven into our lives instead of assistive technology as a separate entity that exclusively addresses specific requirements. The distinction between “assistive” and “everyday” technology is being eliminated by designers, making it more valuable and essential for everyone.
One of the key insights from the presenter’s work is the importance of understanding human emotions when designing and implementing complex systems. She discussed how robots can be programmed to mimic human emotions to increase engagement and trust. For example, she experimented to see if humans would trust a robot in a fire alarm situation. All the participants chose to follow the robot in a direction they had yet to come from, and more shockingly, they did not look for an exit but continued to follow the robot. This experiment highlights the depth of human psychology and how technology can be used to help people communicate more effectively.
One thing that should have been mentioned but I found interesting was the importance of seizing opportunities. After leaving NASA, she had difficulty finding funding for her robotics work. However, at a conference, she met a professor who was going to Antarctica to collect data. She realized she could use her robot to help the researchers collect the data. After working to improve the robot and batteries for the robot continuously, she was finally able to make it work in the harsh Antarctic environment. This story shows how combining different fields and continuous improvement can lead to success.
Allen School Distinguished Lecture: Ayanna Howard (Georgia Institute of Technology) (2019). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpjncBrHzzA (Accessed: 08 October 2023).
