The project EMOROB analyses one of the most important challenges we are facing today - human/robot interaction. Specifically, the project explores the genealogy of the affective programming and social robotics field which started developing in the early1990s. Here, the imaginations relating to diagnosis and treatment of autism have played a crucial role as one of the first application domains of the social robotics. The EMOROB project aims to explore the field of emotional computing in the context of autism treatment, in particular with regard to cultural metaphors and codes. THE MAIN QUESTION is: How did the metaphors of social robotics and affective computing used in the context of autism treatment influence and mirror our view of human embodiment, agency, inequalities, and medical treatment itself? TO EXPLORE THIS QUESTION, the project carries out critical discourse analysis, archives research, and interviews with people in the field. Analytical reflections of EMOROB will contribute to the public debate on the societal impact of autism and affective computing cultural imagery.

Sustainable Development Goals

Masaryk University is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to improve the conditions and quality of life on our planet by 2030.