Mr. Spaghetti, a toy robot called Pleo, showcases lifelike behaviors, stirring curiosity in the owner who reflects on its capabilities and emotional impact. During a workshop in Switzerland, participants were encouraged to personalize Pleo and then faced with a challenge to harm the robots, leading to surprising reactions of compassion and reluctance among the group. This experience marked a pivotal moment, inspiring a shift in the speaker’s career focus towards human-robot interaction, and highlighting the emotional connections people can form with robotic entities.
