Ruth Aylett

Ruth Aylett is a senior Professor of Computer Science at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and part of the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics. Originally from London, she has researched robotics since 1990 and played a leading role in a number of large international research projects such as the EU-funded LIREC project (2007-12) on robot companions and EMOTE (2012-16) on developing an empathic robot tutor.  

She is currently leading a UK funded project examining how to use a robot to train high-functioning adults with autism to improve their social interaction.  As a current researcher she has many contacts with others in the field and via her attendance at conferences and invited seminars is in close touch with international developments in the major research groups.

She is a prolific academic author and has a long experience of public appearances as part of the dissemination of her research, both as invited speaker at conferences, and in the mainstream media. One of her project’s robots appeared on the BBC Intelligent Machines live broadcast in September 2016, where she was also interviewed.  She presented The Robots Are Coming in the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas programme of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017  and also appeared in the 2017 EICC Innovation Nation series. She also appeared at a panel in the Edinburgh Science Festival in April 2019 on robots for therapy applications. Her project Alyx also appeared in Scotland’s National Museum as part of its Robots exhibition during April 2019.
 
In addition to this she is a published author of poetry and short stories. She presented Sarah The Poetic Robot in the Edinburgh Free Fringe in 2012, and read two of her short stories in the Edinburgh Book Festival Story Shop in 2014.

Ruth's latest book, co-authored with Patricia Vargas, LIVING WITH ROBOTS : WHAT EVERY ANXIOUS HUMAN NEEDS TO KNOW, will be published in 2021 in the UK and the US. 

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Praise for Ruth Aylett
‘A wonderfully informative and balanced account of the prospects for robotic AI technology. Extremely readable, and informed by a strong dose of common sense and a healthy aversion to hype, I can think of no other book that does such a detailed and thoughtful job in carefully explaining the many issues surrounding physically embodied autonomous AI systems. Heartily recommended for anyone with an interest in AI, from big tech CEOs to students alike.' Michael Wooldridge, Professor of Computer Science, University of Oxford

‘An excellent non-technical overview of robotics for both business managers and those more generally interested in both the promise and reality of robots in society.’ David A. Teich, Forbes Magazine


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WATCH Ruth with Youtuber Owen Jones discussing:  Will robots take over the world? 

"What an interesting lady. Why don't we hear much more of her? She should do blogs and online talks."


"Crazy respect for Professor Aylett, rare to see women in computer science, especially someone who has been in the field so long. Love to see it! "


"People will say 'Oh, robots will take over the world!'. And my reply would be “yeah, if they could do it in about a couple of hours with no stairs” - Prof. Ruth Aylett.