Social Robots in the Wild:
For decades, Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) research has thrived inside highly controlled laboratory settings. However, as autonomous systems move into public, educational, and resource-constrained spaces, they must confront the messy realities of human culture. This talk examines the central challenges of deploying social robots "in the wild," highlighting the geographic and cultural biases in current robotics research, where design assumptions are overwhelmingly shaped by a narrow, Western-centric lens. Against this backdrop, Dr. Deshmukh will share insights and technical lessons from deploying social robots across diverse global socio-cultural environments. Focusing on field interventions ranging from a water-hauling robot deployed in rural environments to WallBo, a social robot that supports children's handwashing, the presentation underscores how autonomous agents can navigate systemic constraints to deliver a meaningful, globally inclusive impact.
Dr. Amol Deshmukh is a Marie Curie Research Fellow at the Professorship for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at ETH Zürich, where he investigates the intersection of social robotics, AI, and human behaviour. He holds a BSc in Electronics, two Master's degrees (in Computer Applications, and in Computer Science with a focus on robotics and AI), and a PhD in Human-Robot Interaction from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. His work brings human-robot interaction (HRI) research into global, real-world contexts, with a particular focus on resource-constrained environments and developing countries. His work has garnered attention from international media for its innovative approach to bridging cutting-edge research with real-world societal impact. Currently, his research focuses on leveraging social robots to promote hand hygiene among children in schools while examining the cultural and socio-economic implications of such technologies. Passionate about human-centred AI, he strives to build intelligent systems that are both technologically advanced and socially meaningful.