TECHNOLOGICAL MINDS

Interacting socially with new technologies

Kim Brink investigates how we reason about the minds of others and, in particular, "technological minds." Until recently, only people (and some animals) were considered to have minds. With the advancement of artificial intelligence, however, socially interactive devices are emerging (e.g., computers, smart phones, virtual agents, and social robots) that also behave as if they can think, make decisions, and even feel. As these technologies increasingly become a part of our lives, this research aims to aid in improving the design of technology for social interaction and education.