A quick search of humanoid robot videos will deliver demonstrations of two-legged robots playing soccer, dancing, jumping several feet in the air, even competing in kickboxing matches. It is all dazzling, certainly. But roboticist Aaron Ames, the Booth-Kresa Leadership Chair and director of Caltech’s Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) and a leader in the field of robotic safety, has deep concerns. What is crucially missing before humanoids can play a larger role in our lives and society, Ames says, is safety.A quick search of humanoid robot videos will deliver demonstrations of two-legged robots playing soccer, dancing, jumping several feet in the air, even competing in kickboxing matches. It is all dazzling, certainly. But roboticist Aaron Ames, the Booth-Kresa Leadership Chair and director of Caltech’s Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST) and a leader in the field of robotic safety, has deep concerns. What is crucially missing before humanoids can play a larger role in our lives and society, Ames says, is safety.[#item_full_content]