Bridging Worlds Robotics Art and Innovation
Overview
In this lively episode of the Data Bytes Podcast, we chat with the dynamic Dr. Catie Cuan, a trailblazer in the fascinating world of 'choreorobotics.' Dr. Cuan's unique blend of robotics, AI, and dance brings a fresh perspective to technology. She shares her journey from a young dancer with a passion for expressive movement to earning a PhD in robotics from Stanford University. Now a Postdoctoral Scientist at Stanford's Robotics Center, Cuan explores how robots can move in ways that are both functional and evocative.
The conversation takes an exciting turn as Dr. Cuan discusses her innovative startup, Zenie, an AI-powered app designed to support women through life’s ups and downs. She also reveals the unexpected ways her background in dance influences her approach to robotics, making tech feel more human and engaging. With a mix of personal stories, professional insights, and a peek into future trends, Dr. Cuan’s interview is both inspiring and fun. Tune in to discover how creativity and technology intersect in surprising and delightful ways!
About Catie:
An entrepreneur, engineer, and artist, Dr. Catie Cuan is a pioneer in the nascent field of ‘choreorobotics’ and works at the intersection of artificial intelligence, human-robot interaction, and art. She is the founder and CEO of Zenie, a consumer AI company, backed by Gradient Ventures and HF0. Catie holds a PhD and Master’s of Science in robotics and AI from Stanford, where she is also a Postdoc leading the art and robotics efforts at the new Stanford Robotics Center. The title of her PhD thesis is “Compelling Robot Behaviors through Supervised Learning and Choreorobotics”, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, Google, and Stanford University. During her PhD, she led the first multi-robot machine learning project at Everyday Robots (Google X) and Robotics at Google (now a part of Google Deepmind). She has held artistic residencies at the Smithsonian, the Exploratorium, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Everyday Robots (Google X), TED, and ThoughtWorks Arts. Catie is a prolific and award-winning robot choreographer, having created works with nearly a dozen different robots, from a massive ABB IRB 6700 industrial robot to a tabletop IDEO + Moooi robot. Catie is also an International Strategy Forum (ISF) fellow at Schmidt Futures and the former co-founder of caali, an embodied media company. In 2024, she spoke on the mainstage at TED.
Social Handles:
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-catie-cuan-11605513/
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