ETH alumna Alexis E. Block and assistant professor at the Case Western Reserve University discusses her HuggieBot research, designed for high-quality hugs, highlighting its emotional benefits, design process, and her journey from grief to innovation.

Discover Alexis' heartfelt journey with her HuggieBot, a robot crafted to deliver meaningful hugs based on eleven guiding principles. She shares the profound emotional and physical benefits of hugging, emphasizing its role in enhancing social support and reducing stress.Through her personal experiences, Alexis illustrates the power of interdisciplinary research in creating emotionally intelligent robots. Tune in to hear how her time at ETH Zurich shaped her path and her secret tip about her favorite spot on campus, plus enjoy the unforgettable musical serenade with Susan!

This is her story.

Books mentioned in this episode:

The Nightingale by Kristen Hanna

The Dutch House by Anne Patchett

Chapters:

(00:18) Meet Alexis Block: Robotics Expert and Hugging Enthusiast

(00:42) The Science of Hugging Robots

(02:18) Experimenting with Hugging Robots

(05:05) Changing Perceptions of Robotics

(07:30) The Journey to HuggieBot

(08:09) The Importance of Hugs

(08:59) Personal Motivation and Academic Journey

(18:18) From ETH to Case Western: A Career in Robotics

(19:49) Reflections and Future Directions

(22:27) Closing Thoughts and Personal Insights