Prof. Rossi Setchi
Cardiff University, UKThe role of neuro-symbolic AI in human-centred robotics
Abstract:
The keynote explores how neuro-symbolic AI advances human-centred robotics by enhancing perception, reasoning, adaptability, and explainability, paving the way for more intuitive and beneficial human-robot interactions. Neuro-symbolic AI combines the strengths of neural networks and symbolic reasoning: neural networks excel at perception and pattern recognition, enabling robots to interpret complex data and dynamic scenes, while symbolic reasoning provides structured knowledge modelling, logical planning, and understanding of human goals and contexts. The keynote highlights examples from recent projects at the Research Centre in AI, Robotics and Human-Machine Systems (IROHMS) at Cardiff, where neuro-symbolic AI improves human-robot collaboration by enabling robots to comprehend both implicit and explicit aspects of human behaviour. This integration also supports decision transparency, fostering trust and acceptance. Moreover, neuro-symbolic systems can adapt to dynamic environments by learning from data while adhering to logical constraints, ensuring safety and reliability. These capabilities are critical in many fields, where alignment with human values is paramount. Finally, the keynote explores opportunities for leveraging neuro-symbolic AI to boost productivity and redefine roles across industry, education, and public services.

Biography:
Professor Rossi Setchi is Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and Professor of High-Value Manufacturing at the School of Engineering. She is Director of the Research Centre in AI, Robotics and Human-Machine Systems (IROHMS) and Co-Director of the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Systems at Cardiff (CAMSAC). She has a distinguished track record of research in a range of areas including AI, robotics, systems engineering, additive manufacturing, industrial sustainability, Cyber-Physical Systems and Industry 4.0, and, in particular, has built an international reputation for excellence in knowledge-driven symbolic AI, computational semantics and human-machine systems. Professor Setchi has worked with more than 150 co-authors and contributed over 280 peer reviewed publications including 16 edited books and over 120 journal articles, secured external grant support totalling more than £26 million and supervised to successful completion 28 PhD students. She has collaborated with over 20 UK and 30 overseas universities, 15 research organisations and 30 industrial companies from more than 20 countries in Europe, Asia and Australia. She has provided research leadership on over 30 collaborative projects funded by UK and overseas funding bodies, including the Royal Society, Royal Academy of Engineering, EPSRC and the European Commission.
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