What role should new technologies – such as robots, artificial intelligence and virtual reality – play in theatrical arts? And how are educators preparing their students for the future of this art form?

This episode explores the future of arts education, particularly in theater, focusing on how educators are preparing students for a tech-driven world. It discusses the importance of arts education for social-emotional learning, the challenges faced by theater programs, and the innovative ways technology is being integrated into the arts. 

The conversation features insights from theater educators Kyle Haden the Senior Associate Head at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and Roshunda Jones-Koumba, Theatre Director at George Washington Carver Magnet School in Houston, and the recipient of the 2022 Excellence in Theater Education Tony Award, sponsored by CMU, highlighting the significance of empathy, collaboration, and the evolving landscape of theater education.

What if AI and an emerging new technology called quantum science could save millions of lives from diseases like cancer or pneumonia? In this second part on Healing with Intelligence  –  we're exploring how quantum science has the potential to transform healthcare by helping doctors to better diagnose, monitor, and treat illness.

We meet a pioneer in quantum science and health care – Sridhar Tayur - the Ford Distinguished Research Chair and University Professor of Operations Management at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business.  Sridhar explains how quantum science not only creates faster diagnoses and medical analysis by astronomical amounts – it can also create better results.  He uses pneumonia diagnosis as a case in point. The discussion highlights the differences between quantum and classical computing, the speed and accuracy improvements in diagnostics, and the potential for future innovations in patient care, powered by quantum science and machine learning.

In today’s episode – the first of a two-parter on Healing with Intelligence –  we're exploring how robots, artificial intelligence, and an emerging new technology called quantum science are transforming healthcare by helping doctors to better diagnose, monitor, and treat illness.

In part one, we provide a sampling of some of those new technologies – including a head-worn device that can command a robot to help those with limited motion perform daily tasks ranging from making dinner to scratching an itch.  

And then we meet Justin Chan, an assistant professor at CMU in the School of Computer Science, who has invented several AI-powered healthcare devices, including a wearable AI-powered camera that can help clinicians avoid medication errors while reducing risks and improving patient care.  

Justin discusses some of his other inventions that use AI to leverage ubiquitous smart devices to help diagnose conditions like ear infections and even predict heart attacks – technologies that not only save lives, but also bridge the gap in healthcare access, especially in underserved populations. The episode concludes with a look at the future of AI in public health and the importance of innovation in addressing global health challenges.

Welcome to Season 2 of Where What If Becomes What's Next, a podcast from Carnegie Mellon University where we ask the bold questions that will become innovations for the betterment of humanity. You'll hear about breakthroughs at CMU from scientists, researchers, innovators and artists at the forefront of artificial intelligence, robotics, health science and the arts. 

With host Randy Scott, every other Thursday we’ll introduce you to the CMU experts and their game-changing stories of innovation. Experts who have already asked, "What if" to make "What's next" a reality.  Subscribe to Where What if Becomes What's Next so that you'll never miss an episode.

For more, info visit: cmu.edu/whatsnextpodcast.

While we’re working on Season 2 of Where What If Becomes What’s Next, we’d like to introduce you to a new Carnegie Mellon University podcast - DOES COMPUTE — from our School of Computer Science – where CMU experts, alumni and students along with host Stephanie Stricklen will explore what’s next in computer science, robotics and artificial intelligence.

In this sample episode from DOES COMPUTE – the first of a two-part episode on ROBOTS IN SPACE – CMU Assistant Professor Zac Manchester discusses nano and swarming satellites, what they're doing now and the role they're going to play in the future of space exploration. 

You can view additional DOES COMPUTE episodes or subscribe to DOES COMPUTE on your favorite podcast portal.

Artificial intelligence is already revolutionizing almost every aspect of society.  But what additional advancements will we see in the near future?  And what ethical issues should we address along the way?

In this, the second of a two-part episode – and our Season One finale – we explore what’s next for AI in areas such as disaster response, robotics, creativity, health care and transportation. And we discuss the ethical considerations surrounding its use and the importance of regulation to ensure safe and beneficial outcomes for society.

Sharing their insights on this episode are AI experts from Carnegie Mellon University and various organizations and companies including: Rachel Mandelbaum, Aarti Singh, Robin Murphy, Tom Mitchell, Dan Green, Deva Ramanan, Jim Garrett, Zach Lipton, Carmel Majidi, Assaf Gad, Martial Hebert, Raj Reddy, Ramayya Krishnan, Chris Mueller, and Drew Thurlow.

We’ll see you for Season Two of Where What If Becomes What’s Next from Carnegie Mellon University.  Stay tuned!

If you think that Artificial Intelligence was recently invented, think again. The roots of AI go back decades, centuries, even to ancient mythology.  So how did AI go from myth to reality?

In this, the first of a special two-part episode, we present a brief history of AI.  We start with the first imagined robot in ancient Greece, fast-forward to Alan Turing’s groundbreaking work in computer science and then to the seminal 1956 summer workshop at Dartmouth College where the term “artificial intelligence” was coined. At that workshop, two Carnegie Mellon University professors, Herbert A. Simon and Allen Newell, presented what is considered the first artificial intelligence program and the “birth” of the AI industry. We’ll hear from a few of the other early AI pioneers at CMU as they share personal stories and milestones in AI and robot development while discussing the societal impact of AI.

In part two, our season finale, we look to the future… and hear from these pioneers and more about where they think – and hope – What’s Next for AI, while discussing the need for guardrails and ethics around AI development.

Joining us are: Tom Mitchell, CMU Founders University Professor; Dr. Raj Reddy, Moza Bint Nasser University Professor of Computer Science and Robotics in the School of Computer Science at CMU; and Dr. Manuela Veloso, the head of JP Morgan AI Research and the Herbert A. Simon University Professor Emeritus in the School of Computer Science at CMU.

What if paleontologists could create robot replicas of dinosaurs to better understand them – and how they moved – and in turn learn more about us?

In this episode, we’re talking about the intersection of paleontology, robotics, and artificial intelligence. That includes paleobionics… an emerging field at Carnegie Mellon University – that uses robotics and soft robotics to help scientists better understand how dinosaurs and other extinct organisms might have moved.  Not only could this lead to new discoveries about dinosaur behavior and evolution, it also could provide new understandings on how we, as humans, move while helping engineers design more agile robots that move better through our world.  We’ll meet some of the scientists building these new robots based on fossil records of extinct organisms such as the pleurocystid, an ancient ancestor of the starfish and sea urchin, and the gorgonopsid, a strange dinosaur that’s part mammal, part reptile. 

And could paleobionic scientists someday build a working, life size Tyrannosaurus Rex?  Let’s find out.  

Joining us are: Dr. Aja Mia Carter, postdoctoral researcher working with Carnegie Mellon University’s Robomechanics Lab; Carmel Majidi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at CMU; and Aaron Johnson, Associate Professor of mechanical engineering and robotics at CMU and faculty for the University's Robomechanics Lab. 

What if a robot could be a compassionate companion - an antidote to loneliness as we age – and in some cases – help those suffering from dementia?

Loneliness among the elderly has become something of an epidemic.  According to a recent national survey, about 37 % of American adults aged 50 to 80 experienced loneliness, and about 34% of respondents said they felt socially isolated. Companion robots have the potential to alleviate loneliness and improve the well-being of these older adults as well as help those suffering from memory loss from dementia or Alzheimer’s. They can converse about daily activities, connect to new friends around the country, lead workout sessions, suggest and place calls to loved ones, provide gentle reminders for taking medicines, play music, suggest what's for dinner, and even host live bingo games. 

In this episode, which is Part 2 of a two-part episode on robots and health care, we discuss the challenges and opportunities for developing companion robots to help the elderly with loneliness.  We also meet ElliQ, an AI-powered companion robot that is already being used in thousands of older adults' homes. The future of companion robots may involve using softbotic technologies to create anthropomorphic features and lifelike physical interaction.

Joining us in part two are four experts in robotics and the elderly: Carmel Majidi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University; Selma Šabanović, Professor of Informatics and Cognitive Science and Director of R-House Lab at Indiana University Bloomington; David Crandall, Professor of Computer Sciences and Director of the Luddy Artificial Intelligence Center at Indiana University Bloomington; and Assaf Gad, VP Strategy and GM for Intuition Robotics. 

Robots and artificial intelligence are transforming the healthcare industry, from drug development to surgical procedures to personalized healthcare plans. 

In this, the first of a two-part episode, we'll take a big picture look at these transformational technologies and meet a leader in the emerging field of soft robotics, the creation of robots and wearable devices that look, feel, and move more like humans.  And we'll meet a co -founder of a fast-growing healthcare technology company and find out why their AI-powered technology is making life better for doctors and patients one doctor-patient visit at a time. We will also discuss how the use of robots and AI in healthcare raises regulatory and ethical considerations. 

In part two, coming up in two weeks, we'll do a deep-dive on companion robots, and how they are helping the elderly overcome their loneliness, manage illnesses such as Alzheimers and dementia, and improve their health and well-being. 

Joining us in part one are three experts in robotics and health care: Dr Christopher Müller, Director of the Statistical Department for the International Federation of Robotics; Carmel Majidi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University; and Zach Lipton, the Raj Reddy Associate Professor of Machine Learning at Carnegie Mellon University and Chief Technology Officer and Chief Scientist of ABridge.