Henny Admoni

Henny Admoni is the Assistant Professor of Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University and leader of the Human And Robot Partners (HARP) Lab. An expert on Human-Robot Interactions, Henny specialises in non-verbal communication, assistive machines, and the future of work. She currently teaches the next generation of roboticists to place humans at the centre of any development process. As such, Henny is a proficient speaker on the future of AI and the development of human-aware machines.

As an optimist, Henny dismisses the widespread negative myths about robots taking over, instead, she believes there is lots of potential for robots to help humans, especially if they are developed in a human-centred manner. The outcome would be a more efficient and safer home and work life which is particularly useful for people who require assistance. In order to develop the most effective human-aware machines, Henny conducts in-depth research on human attributes and their psychology to obtain the most accurate representation of humans. Her work is incredibly pioneering and is especially useful for companies looking to create efficiencies through automation without disenfranchising their workforce.

As a highly educated individual, Henny holds an MS in Computer Science from Yale University, and a joint BA/MA in Computer Science at Wesleyan University, in addition to a Postdoctoral fellowship from Carnegie Mellon’s Personal Robotics Lab. Henny’s work has been published in several media outlets such as the Financial Times, GeekWire, IEEE Spectrum, Siliconrepublic, and MACH. She has also been featured on NPR, Voice of America News and WESA radio. Henny is a major advocate for underrepresented communities in pursuing STEM careers and believes diversity is essential in the development of AI.

As a futurist, Henny envisions robots will be extremely useful in several settings such as assisting doctors in a pandemic, supporting a toxic clean-up, and in agriculture to improve efficiency and reduce food waste. She is a highly sought-after speaker who advises many organisations on the best way for humans and AI to collaborate. As an excellent speaker, Henny has given speeches at prestigious events such as the World Economic Forum, demonstrating her profound knowledge of robotics and AI.