Session Submission Summary

Sensing Robots

Fri, September 1, 9:00 to 10:30am, Sheraton Boston, Floor: 3, Beacon E

Session Submission Type: Traditional (Closed) Panel

Abstract

To explore how the world is made ‘sense-able’ it is worthwhile to look at how we build technology that is supposed to coexist in everyday lifeworlds. Recent developments in robotics are challenging this question. Whether commercial products like “Jibo” or academic endeavours, robots will inhabit our homes and workplaces. Sensing the world is crucial for this undertaking, e.g. the widespread “sense, plan, act” robot control methodology. In order to cope with human environments, robots can not only ‘see’ and ‘hear’, they possess senses beyond that, eventually also beyond human capacity. We want to discuss how and what robots for everyday worlds sense, and how that might change the sensing of and in these social worlds. These questions relate to comprehensive perspectives on science and technology. What are robots supposed to sense? Which knowledge of the sensible world is thereby inscripted into robots? Which concepts of sensing constitute robotics? How are usage scenarios and users thereby pre-scripted? How is the perceptible world made into a laboratory? And beyond this, what knowledge about the world is created while building such sensible artifacts? Furthermore, we learn about our own (in)sensibilities when we examine the design and construction of robotic technology mediating perception. What does STS perceive of robotics as practice? Do we have the methods and theories to address the blind spots of the sensing machines? What are the epistemics of robots sensing everyday worlds? How does STS reconstruct sensing robots (including material practices; technical limitations)?

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