F&M CARES

The F&M CARES lab uses human-robot interaction to research advances in artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and cognitive science. We focus on socially assistive robots, which are designed to assist people through social means rather than physical. We are particularly interested in robots that are designed to assist people from vulnerable popultions. These populations are most at risk of having technology impinge upon the development or maintenance of their dignity and autonomy. Previous work involved older adults, particularly those with Parkinson’s disease, and more recent projects work with young children.

F&M CARES is led by Prof. Willie Wilson, who is an assistant professor of computer science at Franklin & Marshall College. Other researchers in the lab are undergraduates majoring in a broad array of fields, including computer science, cognitive science, bioinformatics, and mathematics. We also have ongoing collaborations with the Early Social Cognition Lab at F&M and the Developmental Science Lab.

The F&M CARES Lab can be found in the basement of Stager Hall, in room 020. There you will find undergraduate researchers writing code, analyzing data, designing experiments, and reviewing literature. Additionally, you will find our robots, which include two Misty II and two NAO v6 robots. Sometimes, you may even find these robots hanging out together, check out this video.