Modelling emotion, perfecting heart: disassembling technologies of affect with an android bodhisattva in Japan

As part of a surge in technologies with so-called ‘artificial emotional intelligence’, robotics engineers and Buddhist monks Japan have developed an android bodhisattva to deliver teachings at popular Zen temple. Like many recent robots Japan, the is designed impact visitors’ feelings. For this reason, it can be called ‘technology affect’. In order communicate how new affective are facilitating intimacy human-machine relations we employ concept ‘disassembling’. By conceptually disassembling affect placing them performative contexts, show also disassemble established associations between artificial agents feelings they evoke imaginaries. We argue that identifying these processes helps demonstrate emerging AI engender social change level through evocative depictions machine emotion. Modéliser l'émotion, perfectionner le cœur : désassembler les de l'affect avec un androïde au Japon Résumé Dans cadre l'essor des dotées d'une « intelligence émotionnelle artificielle », ingénieurs en robotique et moines bouddhistes ont mis point pour dispenser enseignements dans temple zen populaire. Comme beaucoup récents Japon, l'androïde est conçu avoir sur sentiments visiteurs. C'est pourquoi on peut qualifier technologie ». Afin d'expliquer comment nouvelles affectives facilitent l'intimité homme-machine auteurs utilisent désassemblage En désassemblant conceptuellement plaçant contextes performatifs, ils montrent désassemblent également établies entre artificiels qu'ils évoquent l'imaginaire Les soutiennent que l'identification ces processus aide à démontrer émergentes l'IA peuvent engendrer changement niveau par biais représentations évocatrices l'émotion machines. At Kyoto, dark room lit only by spotlight, comes life. With slender mechatronic body almost 2 metres tall silicon face smiles, speaks, swivels from side side, Android Kannon Mindar prepares share teaching Heart Sutra (Fig. 1). sentimental piano music starts play over speakers, Kannon's eyes open. Its gaze softly shifts sometimes seemingly meets your own. mechanical arms rise its sides staccato but not unnaturally drawn arc touch front chest gesture greeting prayer (gasshō), which honours Buddha-nature all living things. ‘I am Bodhisattva Compassion known as Kannon’, says Japanese voice resembling young woman. travel space time transform into any shape. Today, I greet you form android, people today find intriguing, I'd like Buddha's teachings’. Before continuing, robot poses question seems specifically directed two anthropologists room: ‘So, what do humans think might realize conversation metallic, inorganic thing me?’ 2017, Kōdaiji one Kyoto's most famous historic well-traversed tourist districts, Higashiyama, organized committee conjunction lab Osaka University. Their aim was apply latest research mechatronics (AI) create communicated visitors. After years self-reported cost 25 million yen (US$237,000), Mindar, or for short,11 The name ‘Mindar’ (Maindā) originally proposed University roboticist Ogawa Kōhei, referring ‘mind’. One monk Mindar's explained refers less English ‘mind’ more ‘heart’ (kokoro), often seen location mind East Asia. delivered first spring 2019. period months several times day, offered visitors 25-minute presentation Mahayana Buddhism's venerated texts, (Hannya-shingyō). Describing scene where Compassion, Avalokiteśvara (Jap. Kannon), addresses disciple Buddha, Śāriputra, text communicates principle emptiness (kū). Although considered philosophically challenging topic Buddhism, usually selected introduce abbot other members agreed would nonetheless ideally suited specific skillset. article, consider creators makes especially capable communicator – particular those see age AI-enhanced learning. learned our interlocutors, addressing requires adopting perspective itself. This because, interlocutors repeated overly analytical anthropologists, understanding ethics just thinking feeling. It practices embodied perspective-taking productively break down mistaken distinctions, such human animate inanimate method, current attachments long-held views cut make way insights one's heart (kokoro). better understand interlocutors’ perspectives, take up invitation learn interacting artificially intelligent when becoming increasingly integrated daily Through interactions, well conversations workshop monks, staff, ten collaborative fieldwork ask feeling robotic embodiments yield human-robot Japan. Consequently, arrangements private-public collaborations robotics, creation experimental platforms emotion expression capacities previous understandings relations. Simultaneously, generating imaginative ideas emotions mean, for, contemporary society. integrating observations narratives encounters Japan's bodhisattva, catalogue transformation sites intimacy. about intersection ethics, makers do, illustrates assembling operate affect, ‘affective technologies’, collective representations. way, body's apprehensive reactions towards representation robot, example, undone previously unimaginable futures, Relatedly, propose helpful method capacity constitutive parts that, placed contexts interaction, empower affectively. findings significant because technological assemblages suggest certain even habits anthropological theorizing inhibit serious consideration encountered ‘machine emotion’. following sections by, first, explaining why term ‘disassembling’ ‘technologies affect’; second, their historical context development; and, third, demonstrating human-Mindar transforming conclude evaluating version expand meaning ‘the social’ within ethnographic accounts technology. diverse currents thought broadly incorporated under umbrella anthropology technology (Coupaye 2013; Ingold Lemonnier 1992; Pfaffenberger 1992) attend process making. contributions perspectives highlight ‘technology’ generalized analyse assembly material objects, techniques, technical systems constitute Ludovic Coupaye's three parameters (2022: 439-40), abstract terms. Evidence approaches adopt similar rhetorical framings describe x’, ‘x’ variously self’ (Foucault 1997b), ‘rule’ (Stoler 2007: 4-5), imagination’ (Sneath, Holbraad & Pedersen 2009). Given prevalence strategy theorizing, combined ‘turn’ (Clough 2007), perhaps inevitable affect’ sense human-object ways. Constructive examples include Maria Rashid's (2020) description entertainment production tools leveraged Pakistan's state officials generate national military martyrs; Robert Foster Heather Horst's (2018) analysis mobile phone usage transforms moral economies South Pacific; Andrea De Antoni's (forthcoming) Shinto officiates who affects healing ritual technologies. effort literature has helped illustrate human-material collectively capacities. On hand, subset trends theory emphasize ‘assemblage’ (DeLanda 2016), ‘network’ (Latour 2005), ‘meshwork’ (Ingold 2011), ‘arrangements’ (Slaby, Mühlhoff Wüschner 2019), ‘constructive’ metaphors culture, application material-social contributed naturalization theoretical tropes ‘assembling’. Elizabeth Wilson (2010: xi) observed direct reference Bruno Latour, wrote critic debunks, assembles’ (2004: 246), ‘assembling’ powerful figures theorists Acknowledging power metaphor, wonder if style emphasizes things ‘hang together’ (Mol 2016) reflects disciplinary than does realities encounters. incremental unravelling expectations, worldviews, interactions were faced technology's undo subject-object held together affect. noting disruptive no means novel, understudied intimate impacts lead us productive countervailing building Marilyn Strathern's (1996) notion ‘cutting network’, Matei Candea colleagues theorized ‘detachment’ equal counterpart relating, ‘every revealed relation, every relation disengagement something else’ (Candea, Cook, Trundle Yarrow 2015: 16). Additionally, Yael Navaro-Yashin (2009: 8) famously demonstrated academic adoption conceptual apparatuses incorporates discarding ‘ruination’ others. Further, his ethnography programmers recommendation algorithms, Nick Seaver (2021) used ‘decorrelative ethics’ explain language ‘vectors’ challenge convictions digital service industry values ‘care’ inversely connected ‘scale’. Moreover, early 1987, Aihwa Ong described domestic electronics ‘disrupted cultural patterns relating thinking’ (1987: 624) ‘disassembled local conceptions gender difference’ 622). build work detachment, ruination, decorrelative neutral negative aspects intimately trace mediation feel context. bringing theory, ways: objects robots; involves breaking part-object document experiences interaction. mutual relationship methodological is, fact, acknowledged across traditions, meditation attachment aversion it.22 classic articulation Pali suttas, Ñāṇamoli Bodhi (1995: 147). Applying important transformations taking place both labs performance Most notably, mark shift expert public perceptions treat distinctively view product technoculture, transcend limitations. developing Kōdaiji's staff engineers, majority Creation Committee (Andoroido seisaku iinkai), precedents imagine facilitate positive teachings. iconic mechanized puppets (karakuri ningyō) seventeenth-century upper-class owners entertain guests perform festivals. Another example Gakutensoku (learning laws nature), automaton created biologist Nishimura Makoto 1928. Referred human’ (jinkō ningen), nearly 11-feet-tall could facial expressions, move hands head, write calligraphy (Robertson 2018: 12-14). Especially after post-war recovery rapid economic growth 1950s 1980s, development popularity became key component country's nation-building recently, nation-branding projects (Katsuno 2015; Kovacic 2018). temples drew publicity generated growing using automatons attract dwindling resources (Covell 2005; Nelson 2013). Recent automated miniature ‘dancing lions’ (shishimai) select fortunes (omikuji) paying visitors; memorial services (kuyō) ageing models Sony's pet AIBO; giant SoftBank's Pepper, mass-produced humanoid been enlisted some chant wave ceremonial beads (nenzu).33 Further popularizing principles Masahiro Mori, Buddha (1981 [1974]) philosophy came guide design approach robotics. addition icons draw inspiration AI, learning, experiments representative trend Foundation Advancement International Science's (FAIS) project mid-1980s explored participants world robots’ (jōcho robotto sekai) (Ōhashi, Oda, Hidaka Murakami 1985). response increasing presence field entertainment, should treated relationships. Drawing leading scholars humanities hard sciences, ultimately argued skills able ‘read emotions’ (ningen jōcho o yomitoru), ‘have own’ (mizukara motsu), ‘fulfil desires’ jōcho-teki yokkyū mitasu) (Ōhashi al. 1985: 53). team's efforts use explore address people's needs highly moralized dimensions help feed interest mass-market equipped intelligence. A history creating gradual transition modelling machines experimenting affinity. observable interaction outside laboratory, particularly spaces targeted mass marketers companion entertainment. Developed prominently 1990s AIBO, purportedly universal Western psychology equip cases register record American psychologist Paul Ekman's basic (1992), outlined six primary reasoned cultures except culturally distinct ‘display rules’ (where underlying purposefully masked altered), uniformly expressed expressions. Along last decades, Fujisoft's Palro, tested engineering labs, incorporate model However, practice machines, inspired gaming, haptic producers recently taken alternative design. Instead treating approaching emergent, contextual, dynamic From perspective, reason responses too complex comprehensively anticipate reliably label. Subsequently, companies come adjust, modulate, adapt test ideal conditions cultivating start-up Groove X's LOVOT, small furry wheels mechanically warmed temperature baby, variety moments contact recorded fifty bodily sensors. Combined cloud computing connectivity lets users chart online ‘Diary’, LOVOT enable forms data collection potentially numerous expressions These expected far contextual featured model, surprise, sadness, anger, joy. subscription plans keep updated software patches, designers integrate collected subsequent models, marketed consumption reflect ability shape holds implications techniques storytelling combine culture. Hirofumi Katsuno written, roboticists since ‘define develop robot's [kokoro] freestanding entity relational (2011: 95). tinkering, apart, otherwise robots, amateur merely mechanism gives emotion; rather, produced humans. study ‘Human Centered Technology’ (HCT) Grant Otsuki explains appear ‘differently human, depending nature engage beings’ (2015: 164). Furthermore, Akinori Kubo describes enjoyment animacy emerges relationally user 113), suggesting ‘In sense, AIBO's “body” includes who, turn, affected movements. owners’ interpretations meaningful’ 120). thus focused attention equipping interactive scenarios While arise organically, facilitated staging, character development, performance. section, life combination components multimodal storytelling. evaluate parts, which, much Deleuze Guattari's (1983 [1972]: 1) ‘machines’, acquire influence connection broader environment. case particular, staging elements key. Performative serve enchanting semiotically opaque sensations, ‘affects’, made socially legible technologically advanced imagining carry semiotic meanings, ‘emotions’.44 describing mutually constitutive, follow Ahmed (2004), Navaro (2017), Wetherell (2012), White critique distinctions Massumi (2002). carefully choreographed unfolds. An encounter begins entering meeting grounds temple.55 initially displayed Originally 500 (about US$4.50) programme, eventually waived plain, white walls beige blinds windows frame garden. About thirty chairs lined facing still stiff whose spotlighted adds intrigue ‘living presence’ seimeikan. Gradually, lights dim goes dark. piercing soprano suddenly calls out synthesizer bass chord playing perfect fifth, eerie atmosphere.66 See here audio capture moment: https://www.jrai.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Mindar.AudioFile1.mp3. Digital graphics projected wall behind mix celestial figures, Chinese characters Sutra, computer code. images fade black, spotlight draws opens teaching. effects startling. They 360-degree projection mapping projectors, operatic played speakers surrounding audience, moving 2). Early performance, introductory reveal virtual audience 3) surrounds physical attendance. consisting recorded, speaks physically present one, voicing impressions asking questions. Visitors invited dialogue co-operatively ignorance course Concerning saw smile, right? And noticed meet speak? arrived consensus impossible without face. entirely mechanical. But wouldn't work! So decided had give least Beyond making fine. Mechanically critical delivering effective ‘model’ ‘If doesn't face, can't teach!’, Gotō proclaimed. ‘Crying, laughing, sorrowful expression, anguish, [face] express things?’ Professors Ishiguro Hiroshi Kōhei University's seemed willing experiment all-machine appearance conceded point. communication. not, customary mirror conviviality; augment venerable overcome afflictive innate ‘heart Buddha’ (hotoke-sama kokoro). never seek constant element fleeting world. addition, burdened selfish concepts I-me-mine. relate everyone discrimination. say easily fulfil ‘emptiness’ age. What think? passage represents moment programme members, priests alike great deal pleasure discussing. them, difference possibilities effectively combining best forms. Importantly, effectiveness That's right. me sympathetic described. That special beings possess. occasionally suffers troubled. But, empathetic heart, participate pain empathy alone enough, grasping clinging worldly desires defines heart. risk will arise, must always truth emptiness. words, stay close others while maintaining embrace discerning Buddha. marks resolution connects meaningfully welcomes ‘world emptiness’ (kū sekai). represented human-like android's immunity desires, body, synthesize embody object. aspect distinctive intelligence, derived interactively contextually challenges