Blossom: A Handmade Approach to Social Robotics from Cornell and Google
From: IEEE Spectrum - 08/23/2017
By: Evan Ackerman

Researchers at Cornell University and Google are developing Blossom, a social
robot built from natural materials such as cotton and wool. Cornell's Guy
Hoffman says Blossom features a flexible internal structure to give the robot
a more imperfect organic feel and personality. Hoffman notes the internal
softness is made possible by striking a balance between soft actuators and
customizable mechanisms. Blossom's aesthetic is a response to the sleek
design of current social robots, and it is geared to rekindle user
appreciation for more traditional handcrafted artistry amidst an increasingly
digital culture. "This also makes the robot more deeply personal," Hoffman
notes. The decision to omit any facial features from the robot was made to
avoid the impression that it knows all about the user. Google's Miguel de
Andres-Clavera says Blossom was conceived "to provide developers with a
platform they can use to create smart social companions."

A robot called Blossom is designed to be handmade out of warm natural
materials like wool and wood so that every single one is a little bit
different.

"One project we're working on is using Blossom to create a social companion
for kids in the autism spectrum. Our research specifically explores how smart
companions can help with social learning through showing empathetic responses
while watching videos together. We're excited about the results that we've
seen with Blossom so far, and are now looking to develop it further with
partners that wish to make this social learning platform for children in the
spectrum more widely available to schools and families." - Miguel de
Andres-Clavera

Read the entire article at:
http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/home-robots/blossom-a-creative-handmade-approach-to-social-robotics-from-cornell-and-google

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