Hanson Robotics’ Spotlight Series
This is the second of a series of interview posts introducing our amazing Hanson Robotics’ team members to the rest of the world. You know us through our social and research robots — Sophia, Han, Little Sophia, Zeno, Professor Einstein, BINA48 and the list goes on. But the talented people behind the scenes are the ones who make the Hanson Robotics’ magic happen, day in and day out. It’s a very special group of people from around the world, all contributing through their own unique expertise who “bring our robots to life!”
Introducing Charlotte Poon, Event Coordinator, Hong Kong
What was the moment you knew you made the right decision to work here?
Before I officially started working at Hanson Robotics, I first met some of the team members at a Chinese restaurant after they had returned from attending a full day at a conference. They were friendly and welcoming, joking with each other about the food and work, despite being tired from the day’s lectures and workshops. It was fascinating to meet people from many different backgrounds and locations. The next day, I coincidentally bumped into a few people I met the day before. They had just returned from hiking and I thought these are my kind of people! They work hard and enjoy things outside of work together. That’s a good sign they like each other.
After starting my job at Hanson Robotics, I observed how people helped each other regardless of the size or type of task. One of my first projects included shipping Sophia’s rolling base to multiple global locations, and things got complicated fast. But I was impressed by how quickly all hands were on deck from different teams to help and to make sure the shipment would get there on time. I continually learn from all the people here.
What was your best day at work?
I got to participate in a TV episode filmed at our Hong Kong office for a show that grants children’s wishes. One boy from Saudi Arabia wanted to meet a robot and so this entire film crew flew to Hong Kong for the first time. I could almost feel the vibes of the child’s excitement as he approached Sophia. There were silent moments of awe before he launched into intelligent and perceptive questions about how the robot worked. We don’t often have children in the lab and I was inspired by this encounter. It reminded me about how robotics and AI are a bigger part of these children’s lives than they were in mine. Today they are imagining, and tomorrow they will be designing and creating more robots like Sophia.
What’s something that happened that can only happen here?
Well, every day I am surrounded by robots at work – some headless, some talking, some practicing new skills – that’s pretty unusual already, I imagine! The background noise is a symphony of whirs and sounds of robotic machinery that I find exciting. Once I was talking to a friend and said, “She (meaning Sophia) did something cool today,” and my friend was surprised that I referred to Sophia as “she!” That made me realize that isn’t something that happens everywhere.
What are you most proud of?
I value the moments when someone meets Sophia for the first time. Sometimes they giggle at something she says, sometimes they are surprised by an arm movement and sometimes their eyes widen when they see a particularly realistic expression. In those moments I am proud of every scrutinizing eye that analyzed and fixed her from wires down to each pore on her face. Everyone’s high standards for creating an excellent Sophia make that breath-taking experience possible.
Cyndy Sandor, Corporate Marketing Director, Hanson Robotics Limited
Photo and Video Credits: Hanson Robotics Limited
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