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International Conference on Social Robotics

ICSR 2018: Social Robotics pp 25–34Cite as

The Robotic Archetype: Character Animation and Social Robotics

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 11357))

Abstract

This paper delves into the surprisingly under-considered convergence between Hollywood animation and ‘Big Tech’ in the field of social robotics, exploring the implications of character animation for human-robot interaction, and highlighting the emergence of a robotic character archetype. We explore the significance and possible effects of a Hollywood-based approach to character design for human-robot sociality, and, at a wider level, consider the possible impact of this for human relationality and the concept of ‘companionship’ itself. We conclude by arguing for greater consideration of the socio-political and ethical consequences of importing and perpetuating relational templates that are drawn from powerful media conglomerates like Disney. In addition to facing a possible degradation of social relations, we may also be facing a possible delimitation of social relationality, based on the values, affects, and ideologies circulating in popular Hollywood animation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of English, Film, Theatre, and Media Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Cherie Lacey

  2. School of Design, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Catherine Barbara Caudwell

Authors
  1. Cherie Lacey
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  2. Catherine Barbara Caudwell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cherie Lacey .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Shuzhi Sam Ge

  2. Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

    John-John Cabibihan

  3. University Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Miguel A. Salichs

  4. Canterbury University, Auckland, New Zealand

    Elizabeth Broadbent

  5. Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, USA

    Hongsheng He

  6. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

    Alan R. Wagner

  7. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Álvaro Castro-González

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Lacey, C., Caudwell, C.B. (2018). The Robotic Archetype: Character Animation and Social Robotics. In: Ge, S., et al. Social Robotics. ICSR 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11357. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05204-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05204-1_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-05203-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-05204-1

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