“Can Robots Read Our Minds?” | Dr Alessandro Vinciarelli | TEDxUniversityofGlasgowSalon

okay I hope anybody hear me we are

okay I hope anybody hear me we are trying to answer in the few minutes we

trying to answer in the few minutes we

trying to answer in the few minutes we have a disposition about this question

have a disposition about this question

have a disposition about this question can a robot or in general a machine care

can a robot or in general a machine care

can a robot or in general a machine care in our mind and we start with a little

in our mind and we start with a little

in our mind and we start with a little game you see a picture here can anybody

game you see a picture here can anybody

game you see a picture here can anybody tell me what these two people are doing

tell me what these two people are doing

tell me what these two people are doing discussing talking what are they doing

discussing talking what are they doing

discussing talking what are they doing shouting arguing any other singing and

shouting arguing any other singing and

shouting arguing any other singing and if I ask you the type of relationship

if I ask you the type of relationship

if I ask you the type of relationship they have friends colleagues student and

they have friends colleagues student and

they have friends colleagues student and supervisor what type of love are singing

supervisor what type of love are singing

supervisor what type of love are singing so the funny thing of this game is that

so the funny thing of this game is that

so the funny thing of this game is that there is no right or wrong answer here

there is no right or wrong answer here

there is no right or wrong answer here okay what this in person is that the

okay what this in person is that the

okay what this in person is that the picture is very poor we don’t know these

picture is very poor we don’t know these

picture is very poor we don’t know these people are we cannot hear their voices

people are we cannot hear their voices

people are we cannot hear their voices we don’t know what they say we cannot

we don’t know what they say we cannot

we don’t know what they say we cannot see their faces and still we managed to

see their faces and still we managed to

see their faces and still we managed to give confidently a very high level

give confidently a very high level

give confidently a very high level interpretation of the picture in terms

interpretation of the picture in terms

interpretation of the picture in terms of Social and psychological phenomena so

of Social and psychological phenomena so

of Social and psychological phenomena so how this can happen in general our

how this can happen in general our

how this can happen in general our attention tend to focus pretty much on

attention tend to focus pretty much on

attention tend to focus pretty much on what people say but there is a lot of

what people say but there is a lot of

what people say but there is a lot of nonverbal communication going on

nonverbal communication going on

nonverbal communication going on whenever there is social interaction and

whenever there is social interaction and

whenever there is social interaction and here you see examples of what we call

here you see examples of what we call

here you see examples of what we call nonverbal behavioral cues and we as

nonverbal behavioral cues and we as

nonverbal behavioral cues and we as humans are very much sensitive to this

humans are very much sensitive to this

humans are very much sensitive to this cues with receive them and we interpret

cues with receive them and we interpret

cues with receive them and we interpret them in terms of social signals so in

them in terms of social signals so in

them in terms of social signals so in terms of the relational messages that

terms of the relational messages that

terms of the relational messages that people exchange with one another let me

people exchange with one another let me

people exchange with one another let me go a bit deeper into this phenomenon

go a bit deeper into this phenomenon

go a bit deeper into this phenomenon because it is really at the core of the

because it is really at the core of the

because it is really at the core of the answer we are going to give to our

answer we are going to give to our

answer we are going to give to our question when we talk about nonverbal

question when we talk about nonverbal

question when we talk about nonverbal behavioral cues we talk about

behavioral cues we talk about

behavioral cues we talk about essentially three elements the first are

essentially three elements the first are

essentially three elements the first are the non verbal behavioral cues that we

the non verbal behavioral cues that we

the non verbal behavioral cues that we have just seen in the picture

have just seen in the picture

have just seen in the picture here you have a list it is very long but

here you have a list it is very long but

here you have a list it is very long but it is not exhaustive there are so many

it is not exhaustive there are so many

it is not exhaustive there are so many nonverbal behavioral cues that the

nonverbal behavioral cues that the

nonverbal behavioral cues that the psychologists have grouped them into

psychologists have grouped them into

psychologists have grouped them into five major classes the codes and this is

five major classes the codes and this is

five major classes the codes and this is the second important element of

the second important element of

the second important element of nonverbal communication so let’s go one

nonverbal communication so let’s go one

nonverbal communication so let’s go one by one the first is physical appearance

by one the first is physical appearance

by one the first is physical appearance everything contributes to the way we

everything contributes to the way we

everything contributes to the way we look like okay which means your body

look like okay which means your body

look like okay which means your body your clothes your ornaments uniforms

your clothes your ornaments uniforms

your clothes your ornaments uniforms everything you do in order to change the

everything you do in order to change the

everything you do in order to change the way you look like I think we all heard

way you look like I think we all heard

way you look like I think we all heard that a certain point in life that it is

that a certain point in life that it is

that a certain point in life that it is not important how you are outside it is

not important how you are outside it is

not important how you are outside it is important how you are inside is false it

important how you are inside is false it

important how you are inside is false it has been investigated extensively if you

has been investigated extensively if you

has been investigated extensively if you look nice if you look good your life is

look nice if you look good your life is

look nice if you look good your life is going to be much easier then your face

going to be much easier then your face

going to be much easier then your face and head behavior okay

and head behavior okay

and head behavior okay facial expressions no need to explain

facial expressions no need to explain

facial expressions no need to explain this you are happy you smile use of gaze

this you are happy you smile use of gaze

this you are happy you smile use of gaze when you want to establish social

when you want to establish social

when you want to establish social contact with someone the first thing you

contact with someone the first thing you

contact with someone the first thing you do is to establish eye contact gaze

do is to establish eye contact gaze

do is to establish eye contact gaze contact okay and then all the little

contact okay and then all the little

contact okay and then all the little movements we can do it our head okay

movements we can do it our head okay

movements we can do it our head okay shaking nodding etc that conveys social

shaking nodding etc that conveys social

shaking nodding etc that conveys social meaning voice behavior this may look

meaning voice behavior this may look

meaning voice behavior this may look contradictory what a speech to do with

contradictory what a speech to do with

contradictory what a speech to do with nonverbal well in speech there are not

nonverbal well in speech there are not

nonverbal well in speech there are not only words so when we talk about

only words so when we talk about

only words so when we talk about nonverbal vocal behavior we talk about

nonverbal vocal behavior we talk about

nonverbal vocal behavior we talk about everything in speech except words the

everything in speech except words the

everything in speech except words the very sound of your voice the intonation

very sound of your voice the intonation

very sound of your voice the intonation the use of vocalization like crying

the use of vocalization like crying

the use of vocalization like crying sobbing laughter and so on even the use

sobbing laughter and so on even the use

sobbing laughter and so on even the use of silence is a non verbal of behavioral

of silence is a non verbal of behavioral

of silence is a non verbal of behavioral cues in speech okay

cues in speech okay

cues in speech okay gestures and postures when I talk about

gestures and postures when I talk about

gestures and postures when I talk about gestures here I’m not talking about

gestures here I’m not talking about

gestures here I’m not talking about things like this or this that they were

things like this or this that they were

things like this or this that they were very precise meaning what I’m talking

very precise meaning what I’m talking

very precise meaning what I’m talking about is more this type of spontaneous

about is more this type of spontaneous

about is more this type of spontaneous gestures that they use for example to

gestures that they use for example to

gestures that they use for example to accompany my speech this type of

accompany my speech this type of

accompany my speech this type of reaction like touching your head when

reaction like touching your head when

reaction like touching your head when you are discomfortable

you are discomfortable

you are discomfortable and so on and about posture well I’m

and so on and about posture well I’m

and so on and about posture well I’m talking to you I’m oriented towards you

talking to you I’m oriented towards you

talking to you I’m oriented towards you I can give this talk in this way you

I can give this talk in this way you

I can give this talk in this way you can perfectly hear me because there is a

can perfectly hear me because there is a

can perfectly hear me because there is a microphone the content will be the same

microphone the content will be the same

microphone the content will be the same the slides will be the same but the

the slides will be the same but the

the slides will be the same but the impression you will develop will be

impression you will develop will be

impression you will develop will be totally different okay in finally space

totally different okay in finally space

totally different okay in finally space and environment think of this room

and environment think of this room

and environment think of this room depending on the role you play in this

depending on the role you play in this

depending on the role you play in this evening

evening

evening you stay here or you stay there think of

you stay here or you stay there think of

you stay here or you stay there think of the place where you work in general the

the place where you work in general the

the place where you work in general the more you are important the bigger is

more you are important the bigger is

more you are important the bigger is your office so space as a social

your office so space as a social

your office so space as a social function and here we can be there too

function and here we can be there too

function and here we can be there too the third important element of nonverbal

the third important element of nonverbal

the third important element of nonverbal communication nonverbal communication is

communication nonverbal communication is

communication nonverbal communication is a natural phenomenon a like everything

a natural phenomenon a like everything

a natural phenomenon a like everything in nature it has a function and here we

in nature it has a function and here we

in nature it has a function and here we have a list of the functions that the

have a list of the functions that the

have a list of the functions that the psychologists have identified the some

psychologists have identified the some

psychologists have identified the some of the most important let’s go by on the

of the most important let’s go by on the

of the most important let’s go by on the one by one form an impression so you see

one by one form an impression so you see

one by one form an impression so you see that I’m not behaving the way I behave

that I’m not behaving the way I behave

that I’m not behaving the way I behave with my friends at a cafe I wear my

with my friends at a cafe I wear my

with my friends at a cafe I wear my discharge I tried to talk in a smart way

discharge I tried to talk in a smart way

discharge I tried to talk in a smart way because I’m trying to convey a certain

because I’m trying to convey a certain

because I’m trying to convey a certain impression about myself expressing

impression about myself expressing

impression about myself expressing emotion I think no need of explanation

emotion I think no need of explanation

emotion I think no need of explanation you are happy you smile you look at a

you are happy you smile you look at a

you are happy you smile you look at a person and so what you can manage to

person and so what you can manage to

person and so what you can manage to understand immediate if that person is

understand immediate if that person is

understand immediate if that person is said happy amazed worried and so on

said happy amazed worried and so on

said happy amazed worried and so on same thing relational messages this is

same thing relational messages this is

same thing relational messages this is what we have seen in the picture at the

what we have seen in the picture at the

what we have seen in the picture at the beginning of the talk is the type of

beginning of the talk is the type of

beginning of the talk is the type of attitude that people display to one

attitude that people display to one

attitude that people display to one another are you aggressive or your style

another are you aggressive or your style

another are you aggressive or your style are you friendly are you open and so on

are you friendly are you open and so on

are you friendly are you open and so on very interesting mother nature considers

very interesting mother nature considers

very interesting mother nature considers to be very important line effectively

to be very important line effectively

to be very important line effectively and effectively detecting the lies of

and effectively detecting the lies of

and effectively detecting the lies of others

others

others now think of natural how many animals

now think of natural how many animals

now think of natural how many animals lie to survive camouflage is line

lie to survive camouflage is line

lie to survive camouflage is line standing on the posterior legs to look

standing on the posterior legs to look

standing on the posterior legs to look bigger in front of a predator is line

bigger in front of a predator is line

bigger in front of a predator is line okay in our human society we have more

okay in our human society we have more

okay in our human society we have more sophisticated type of strategies to lie

sophisticated type of strategies to lie

sophisticated type of strategies to lie however we do it and we have to be good

however we do it and we have to be good

however we do it and we have to be good at doing it when you do it and good at

at doing it when you do it and good at

at doing it when you do it and good at understanding when other lies to us

understanding when other lies to us

understanding when other lies to us and similarly power and persuasion look

and similarly power and persuasion look

and similarly power and persuasion look at a group of animals that is always an

at a group of animals that is always an

at a group of animals that is always an alpha individual and it is very

alpha individual and it is very

alpha individual and it is very important that everybody else

important that everybody else

important that everybody else understands where they are in the

understands where they are in the

understands where they are in the hierarchy because if you don’t

hierarchy because if you don’t

hierarchy because if you don’t understand who is above you it can be

understand who is above you it can be

understand who is above you it can be very dangerous 30% of the monkeys die

very dangerous 30% of the monkeys die

very dangerous 30% of the monkeys die because they try to challenge

because they try to challenge

because they try to challenge established Authority in our human

established Authority in our human

established Authority in our human society we do not risk to die so

society we do not risk to die so

society we do not risk to die so frequently at least here fortunately

frequently at least here fortunately

frequently at least here fortunately however still for us is very much

however still for us is very much

however still for us is very much important to understand when you talk

important to understand when you talk

important to understand when you talk with someone that is above us okay so

with someone that is above us okay so

with someone that is above us okay so this is a very general introduction to

this is a very general introduction to

this is a very general introduction to no verbal communication now the point is

no verbal communication now the point is

no verbal communication now the point is what does this to do with the question

what does this to do with the question

what does this to do with the question at the centre of this talk what does

at the centre of this talk what does

at the centre of this talk what does this to do with the question whether

this to do with the question whether

this to do with the question whether there are robots or a machine can read

there are robots or a machine can read

there are robots or a machine can read our mind well it has to do in this way

our mind well it has to do in this way

our mind well it has to do in this way what does it happen to this if I replace

what does it happen to this if I replace

what does it happen to this if I replace the person on the right with a machine a

the person on the right with a machine a

the person on the right with a machine a machine means anything any apparatus the

machine means anything any apparatus the

machine means anything any apparatus the task same source and a minimum of

task same source and a minimum of

task same source and a minimum of processing power so the technological

processing power so the technological

processing power so the technological questions are can I automatically detect

questions are can I automatically detect

questions are can I automatically detect nonverbal behavioral cues and can I

nonverbal behavioral cues and can I

nonverbal behavioral cues and can I automatically make sense of nonverbal

automatically make sense of nonverbal

automatically make sense of nonverbal behavioral cues and the answer is yes in

behavioral cues and the answer is yes in

behavioral cues and the answer is yes in both cases technology produces nowadays

both cases technology produces nowadays

both cases technology produces nowadays technological approaches that can detect

technological approaches that can detect

technological approaches that can detect the nonverbal and behavioral cues have

the nonverbal and behavioral cues have

the nonverbal and behavioral cues have been mentioned and they can make sense

been mentioned and they can make sense

been mentioned and they can make sense automatically of them in terms of social

automatically of them in terms of social

automatically of them in terms of social psychological phenomena exactly the same

psychological phenomena exactly the same

psychological phenomena exactly the same way as we have been doing when we have

way as we have been doing when we have

way as we have been doing when we have seen the picture at the beginning of

seen the picture at the beginning of

seen the picture at the beginning of this talk and we figured out we have

this talk and we figured out we have

this talk and we figured out we have guessed that those two people are

guessed that those two people are

guessed that those two people are singing laughing arguing were being

singing laughing arguing were being

singing laughing arguing were being lovers and so on so when we go to the

lovers and so on so when we go to the

lovers and so on so when we go to the question we posed at the beginning can a

question we posed at the beginning can a

question we posed at the beginning can a robot read our mind the answer is yes

robot read our mind the answer is yes

robot read our mind the answer is yes and why it is so very simply because

and why it is so very simply because

and why it is so very simply because nonverbal communication is the physical

nonverbal communication is the physical

nonverbal communication is the physical machine detectable evidence of social

machine detectable evidence of social

machine detectable evidence of social and psychological

and psychological

and psychological when we think of our inner life of our

when we think of our inner life of our

when we think of our inner life of our mind of our psychology we tend to think

mind of our psychology we tend to think

mind of our psychology we tend to think of it as something abstract something

of it as something abstract something

of it as something abstract something that we cannot really access with our

that we cannot really access with our

that we cannot really access with our senses this is true however the same

senses this is true however the same

senses this is true however the same inner life the same psychology the same

inner life the same psychology the same

inner life the same psychology the same mind leaves traces in the physical world

mind leaves traces in the physical world

mind leaves traces in the physical world in terms of nonverbal behavioral cues

in terms of nonverbal behavioral cues

in terms of nonverbal behavioral cues and here is the key for the machines to

and here is the key for the machines to

and here is the key for the machines to access it if we can perceive the cues

access it if we can perceive the cues

access it if we can perceive the cues with our senses then we can detect them

with our senses then we can detect them

with our senses then we can detect them with sensors and then we can understand

with sensors and then we can understand

with sensors and then we can understand that with artificial intelligence

that with artificial intelligence

that with artificial intelligence approaches now what is very much cool

approaches now what is very much cool

approaches now what is very much cool for the people like me that work on this

for the people like me that work on this

for the people like me that work on this type of technologies is that it is about

type of technologies is that it is about

type of technologies is that it is about people as much as it is about machines

people as much as it is about machines

people as much as it is about machines it is very much in person you don’t need

it is very much in person you don’t need

it is very much in person you don’t need only to know computer science of

only to know computer science of

only to know computer science of machines mathematics etc you also need

machines mathematics etc you also need

machines mathematics etc you also need to learn a lot about people about

to learn a lot about people about

to learn a lot about people about psychology about human sciences what is

psychology about human sciences what is

psychology about human sciences what is a bit frightening about this

a bit frightening about this

a bit frightening about this technologies is that nowadays the

technologies is that nowadays the

technologies is that nowadays the progress is mostly machine oriented what

progress is mostly machine oriented what

progress is mostly machine oriented what does it mean in this moment we exploit

does it mean in this moment we exploit

does it mean in this moment we exploit the knowledge of we have about people to

the knowledge of we have about people to

the knowledge of we have about people to build machines that are more and more

build machines that are more and more

build machines that are more and more powerful and doing what we do every day

powerful and doing what we do every day

powerful and doing what we do every day understanding and reading the mind of

understanding and reading the mind of

understanding and reading the mind of others irrespectively of any effort that

others irrespectively of any effort that

others irrespectively of any effort that this can have on the life of people so

this can have on the life of people so

this can have on the life of people so in a sense we are exploiting only one

in a sense we are exploiting only one

in a sense we are exploiting only one side of the lecture we are learning that

side of the lecture we are learning that

side of the lecture we are learning that we cannot build a social intelligence

we cannot build a social intelligence

we cannot build a social intelligence machine if we do not understand people

machine if we do not understand people

machine if we do not understand people so now the progress is machine oriented

so now the progress is machine oriented

so now the progress is machine oriented we exploit the knowledge we have of

we exploit the knowledge we have of

we exploit the knowledge we have of people simply to build better machines

people simply to build better machines

people simply to build better machines it would be nice to do it the other way

it would be nice to do it the other way

it would be nice to do it the other way around we cannot understand people if we

around we cannot understand people if we

around we cannot understand people if we cannot build social intelligence

cannot build social intelligence

cannot build social intelligence machines what does it mean these

machines what does it mean these

machines what does it mean these machines are a tool of unprecedented

machines are a tool of unprecedented

machines are a tool of unprecedented power to understand how people work and

power to understand how people work and

power to understand how people work and it is very much under and important to

it is very much under and important to

it is very much under and important to understand how people

understand how people

understand how people because if you understand it you can

because if you understand it you can

because if you understand it you can improve their life substantially let me

improve their life substantially let me

improve their life substantially let me give you a couple of example that

give you a couple of example that

give you a couple of example that involved the school of computing science

involved the school of computing science

involved the school of computing science where I work we are using a robot to

where I work we are using a robot to

where I work we are using a robot to teach autistic adults how to develop

teach autistic adults how to develop

teach autistic adults how to develop better social skills this is crucial for

better social skills this is crucial for

better social skills this is crucial for them to make their life happier and

them to make their life happier and

them to make their life happier and healthy okay

healthy okay

healthy okay in this way we better understand autism

in this way we better understand autism

in this way we better understand autism works and through that we manage to

works and through that we manage to

works and through that we manage to improve the life of these people

improve the life of these people

improve the life of these people similarly we use these technologies to

similarly we use these technologies to

similarly we use these technologies to detect as early as possible when

detect as early as possible when

detect as early as possible when children are mistreated by the talents

children are mistreated by the talents

children are mistreated by the talents why is this important if you understand

why is this important if you understand

why is this important if you understand it early enough you can increase a lot

it early enough you can increase a lot

it early enough you can increase a lot of the chances of saving these children

of the chances of saving these children

of the chances of saving these children and making their life as adults happier

and making their life as adults happier

and making their life as adults happier and healthier so from this point of view

and healthier so from this point of view

and healthier so from this point of view we are a one a very nice way because we

we are a one a very nice way because we

we are a one a very nice way because we have the possibility to make technology

have the possibility to make technology

have the possibility to make technology that improve the life of people but for

that improve the life of people but for

that improve the life of people but for what concern both the positive sides of

what concern both the positive sides of

what concern both the positive sides of these technologies and the more were

these technologies and the more were

these technologies and the more were inside of this technology we shall never

inside of this technology we shall never

inside of this technology we shall never forget that when we talk about

forget that when we talk about

forget that when we talk about artificial intelligence because this is

artificial intelligence because this is

artificial intelligence because this is what we are talking about artificial

what we are talking about artificial

what we are talking about artificial should be that big an intelligence

should be that big an intelligence

should be that big an intelligence should be that small so there is still a

should be that small so there is still a

should be that small so there is still a lot of work for us that work on

lot of work for us that work on

lot of work for us that work on improving the life of people forties and

improving the life of people forties and

improving the life of people forties and still we don’t need to worry about much

still we don’t need to worry about much

still we don’t need to worry about much about the very negative effects that

about the very negative effects that

about the very negative effects that potentially these technologies can have

potentially these technologies can have

potentially these technologies can have thank you very much