Resonance Test 58: Marcio Macedo and Toby Bortoff the Human-Robot Relationship

Advancements in artificial intelligence have led to sophisticated robotics in almost every industry, and this isn’t necessarily something to be concerned about. It's definitely not something people like our guest, Marcio Macedo, Co-Founder and VP of Product, Ava Robotics, is losing sleep over. Macedo says it’s all about developing the right kind of human-to-robot partnerships: “To us, it comes to down to a focus on learning with the customer.”

In a conversation with Toby Bottorf, VP, Service and Experience Design, EPAM Continuum, Macedo explains how COVID has created an opportunity for robots to meet human needs in an unprecedented way, especially in healthcare settings like nursing homes. He shares how Ava’s telepresence robot creates a physical channel that enables family members to visit with their loved ones—without stepping foot in the building. Bottorf points out the “stalking pandemic of loneliness, which Zoom is no cure for” and Macedo says: “There’s a lot of promise in robotics for sure in helping address that.”

Macedo also talks about hybrid office situations, and how robots might aide in a transition to remote staff or provide improved safety when being in-person is too risky.

Listen in to learn more about how robots might be a force for good.