Dr. Maja Matarić on Robotics

How do we use technology to improve quality of life? What is the role of robots to improve human health and quality of life now and in the future? With robotics and AI, there is technology for helping people know themselves and help themselves. Things like mindfulness, cognitive behavior therapy, known interventions that are hard for people to do on their own can be done with a robot. Until everyone can have someone to help them, socially-assistive robots can fill a big void. Dr. Maja Matarić is a Chan Soon-Shiong distinguished professor of Computer Science, Neuroscience, and Pediatrics and the founder and director of the Interaction Lab at the University of Southern California where her research is aimed at developing technologies (particularly in robotics) that help improve human health and quality of life. Among others, Matarić received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring from President Barack Obama (2009), the Okawa Foundation Research Award, the NSF Career Award, the MIT Technology Review TR100 Innovation Award, the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Early Career Award, and the Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Award in Innovation. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), IEEE, AAAI, and ACM.