[Link] morning everyone!
Today, our group will present “The Evolution of Robots”, focusing on one of the most interesting social robots
ever built — Kismet.
But first, let’s think for a moment: what makes a robot more than a machine?
Is it intelligence? Or maybe emotions? That’s what we’re here to explore.
When people think of robots, they usually imagine machines working in factories. However, not all robots are
designed to perform physical tasks.
Some robots are created to communicate with humans, and today we will explore one of the earl Let me
introduce some basic information about Kismet.
[Link] is a social robot developed by Dr. Cynthia Breazeal at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, also
known as MIT, in the late 1990s.
Its main purpose was not to work or solve problems, but to study human–robot interaction.
More specifically, Kismet was designed to help robots communicate with humans through emotions, similar to
how humans interact with each other in daily [Link] examples of this idea-Kismet.
So how does Kismet actually show emotions and respond to humans?
3. Now, I will talk about Kismet’s key features.
One of the most important features of Kismet is emotional expression.
It uses facial movements such as eyebrows, eyelids, lips, and ears to show different emotions.
Kismet can display expressions like happiness, sadness, anger, and surprise, and it also changes its eye
movement and head position to match its emotional states.
In addition, Kismet can show emotional responses.
For example, it reacts happily when people speak to it gently, calms down when humans interact slowly and
softly, and shows distress when there are loud sounds or fast movements.
4. In this slide, you can see a short video showing some actions of Kismet.
Through the video, we can clearly observe how Kismet changes its facial expressions and movements when
interacting with humans.
5. Kismet has both advantages and disadvantages.
On the positive side, Kismet focuses on social interaction and emotions.
It can express basic emotions through facial movements, which helps improve human–robot communication.
However, Kismet also has limitations.
It has limited intelligence, its emotions are pre-programmed, and it cannot perform practical tasks.
Therefore, Kismet is mainly used for research purposes.
6. Kismet is considered an early and groundbreaking example of social-interaction robotics.
It was one of the first robots ever designed not to perform tasks, but to interact socially and emotionally with
humans.
Before Kismet, most robots were task-based machines used mainly in factories.
Kismet changed this direction by shifting the focus of robotics from physical tasks to emotional communication.
This shift had a long-lasting impact.
Kismet influenced later research in human–robot interaction and laid the foundation for the development of
modern social robots used today in education, healthcare, and companionship.
In short, Kismet helped redefine what robots are capable of — not just working for humans, but communicating
with them.
7. In conclusion, Kismet represents an important step in the evolution of robots.
Although Kismet had limitations, its influence can still be seen in many modern social robots today.
Thank you for your attention.
We usually do this when:
Someone is speaking and we need to say something important
We didn’t hear or understand
We want to ask a question or give an opinion
We need help or clarification (in class, meetings, conversations)
1. In class – you don’t understand the lesson
Situation: The teacher is explaining a grammar point, but it’s too fast.
What you say:
Excuse me, I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand this part. Could you explain it again, please?
2. In class – you want to ask a question while the teacher is talking
Situation: You have an important question and don’t want to sound rude.
What you say:
Sorry to interrupt, but may I ask a quick question?
3. Group discussion – you want to give your opinion
Situation: Other students are talking continuously.
What you say:
Excuse me, can I share my opinion here?
I’d like to add something to this point.
4. Group discussion – someone says something incorrect
Situation: You notice a mistake but want to be polite.
What you say:
Sorry to interrupt, but I think there might be a small mistake.
If I’m not mistaken, the correct answer is…
5. You didn’t hear clearly
Situation: Someone speaks too quietly or too fast.
What you say:
Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Could you repeat it, please?
Pardon me?
6. Conversation with friends – casual interruption
Situation: Friends are excited and talking over each other.
What you say:
Wait a second!
Hold on, let me finish.
7. Presentation / Speaking exam
Situation: You want to interrupt politely to give another idea.
What you say:
If I may interrupt, I’d like to give another example to support this idea
8. Teacher–student conversation after class
Situation: The teacher is busy, but you need help.
What you say:
Excuse me, do you have a moment? I’d like to ask about today’s lesson.
9. Online class / meeting
Situation: You want to speak but others are already talking.
What you say:
Sorry to interrupt, but I think my microphone was muted.
May I jump in here?
A scientist giving a talk – B interrupts politely to ask a question
A: …As you can see, AI devices are becoming more common in modern homes, from cleaning robots to smart
assistants.
B: Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, but may I ask a question at this point?
A: Certainly. Please go ahead.
B: You mentioned that AI can make daily life more convenient. However, do you think this could reduce
people’s independence at home?
A: That’s an important concern. While AI can save time, people should still control how much they rely on it.
B: I see. Thank you for clarifying that.
A: You’re welcome. Let’s continue with the next part of the presentation.