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Pain in The Machine

Dr Beth Singler

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A series of short documentaries on the future and implications of AI and robotics made by Dr Beth Singler, produced and directed by DragonLight Films, and with funding from the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, the Economic and Social Research Council, and ARM, are available through the Cambridge University’s Youtube Channel.

Pain in The Machine is a short documentary that considers whether robots should feel pain. Pain is a feeling that most would describe as being unpleasant, both physically and emotionally. Why then do humans and other animals have pain, and how is it useful? Further, as robots play an ever increasing role in society do we need to consider pain in robot design, both these physical and emotional components?

Researchers: Beth Singler and Ewan St John Smith

Filmmakers: Colin Ramsay and James Uren of Little Dragon Films

Winner of AHRC Best Research Film Award 2017

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Date: October 31, 2016

Speakers: Dr Beth Singler

Category: Contemporary Challenges, Human Identity, Robotics, Technology

Audience: Introductory

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