--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm Dr. David Hanson, and I build robots…" description: "\"I'm Dr. David Hanson, and I build robots with character. And by that, I mean that I develop robots that are characters, but also robots that will event..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/david-hanson-33860_also_i-m-dr-david-hanson-and-i-build-robots-w_610483.jpg" --- # I'm Dr. David Hanson, and I build robots with character… ![“I'm Dr. David Hanson, and I build robots with character. And by that, I mean that I develop robots that are characters, but also robots that will eventually come to empathize with you.” quote by David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/david-hanson-33860_also_i-m-dr-david-hanson-and-i-build-robots-w_610483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/david-hanson-33860_also_i-m-dr-david-hanson-and-i-build-robots-w_610483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/david-hanson-33860_also_i-m-dr-david-hanson-and-i-build-robots-w_610483.jpg) > “I'm Dr. David Hanson, and I build robots with character. And by that, I mean that I develop robots that are characters, but also robots that will eventually come to empathize with you.” [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Designing robots with personality aims to foster emotional connections, making technology feel more human. **In simple terms:** Robots with personality can connect emotionally with people. Key Takeaway Design robots to be relatable and empathetic. Themes human‑robot interaction empathy design technology ethics Mood thoughtful curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - customer service - education - healthcare - companion robots - social media bots Key Concepts affective computing character design user experience Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure robots remain helpful, not deceptive? - What ethical limits should guide empathetic AI? A Different Perspective Over‑anthropomorphizing may cause unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Also](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/also/) [Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) [Build Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-robots-745101/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Characters Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-robots-4958464/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david/) [Develop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/develop/) [Develop Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/develop-robots-4958465/) [Dr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dr/) [Empathize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathize/) [Eventually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eventually/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Robotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robotics/) [Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robots/) [Robots Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robots-character-4958463/) [Robots Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robots-characters-4958466/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [If I could do anything, I'd be an engineer of some sort. I used to build robots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-rodriguez/if-i-could-do-anything-i-d-be-an-engineer-of-some-sort-i-used-to/) [Genesis Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-rodriguez/) > [At MIT, in Professor Rodney Brooks' lab, I was involved in a project, led by Anita Flynn, to build robots using techniques similar to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/at-mit-in-professor-rodney-brooks-lab-i-was-involved-in-a-project-led/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [If you had an alien race that looked like insects, then they would build robots to look like themselves, not to look like people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-j-anderson/if-you-had-an-alien-race-that-looked-like-insects-then-they-would/) [Kevin J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-j-anderson/) > [“...those who choose not to empathize enable real monsters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/those-who-choose-not-to-empathize-enable-real-monsters/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [I feel like you can't really be truthful as an artist and empathize with the human experience, unless you know your truth and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-feel-like-you-can-t-really-be-truthful-as-an-artist-and-empathize/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [Imagination is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/imagination-is-the-power-that-enables-us-to-empathize-with-humans/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [“When I empathize, I feel the frailty and transitory nature of another's existence. To empathize is to root for the other to flourish and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/when-i-empathize-i-feel-the-frailty-and-transitory-nature-of-another/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [When you truly empathize with someone, you have to take into account all the things that make that person who they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarana-burke/when-you-truly-empathize-with-someone-you-have-to-take-into-account/) [Tarana Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarana-burke/) > [It's hard to get people to empathize with the poor. You can get some people to sympathize with the poor, but to empathize is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-mullainathan/it-s-hard-to-get-people-to-empathize-with-the-poor-you-can-get-some/) [Sendhil Mullainathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-mullainathan/) > [ Our best hope for the future \[...\] lies in an appreciation of the fact that, even if we don’t empathize with distant strangers, their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/our-best-hope-for-the-future-lies-in-an-appreciation-of-the-fact-that/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I think with any characterization there's a point where you empathize, no matter how much of a deviance his or her actions may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/i-think-with-any-characterization-there-s-a-point-where-you-empathize/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [I empathize with players. In our culture it is all about strategies and interventions to help the individual based on their individual needs. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hayes/i-empathize-with-players-in-our-culture-it-is-all-about-strategies/) [Emma Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hayes/) > [I think when see you a character on the screen who is actually being touched by the world, and the stuff is actually landing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-think-when-see-you-a-character-on-the-screen-who-is-actually-being/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [To empathize means to share, to experience the feelings of another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-greenson/to-empathize-means-to-share-to-experience-the-feelings-of-another/) [Ralph Greenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-greenson/) > [ I can empathize with President \[George Bush\]. I know what it feels like having a young guy waiting around for you to keel over. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/i-can-empathize-with-president-george-bush-i-know-what-it-feels-like/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) ## More by David Hanson > [Most robotic heads have 20 motors. Mine have 32.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/most-robotic-heads-have-20-motors-mine-have-32/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [We're seeing the arrival of conversational robots that can walk in our world. It's a golden age of invention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/we-re-seeing-the-arrival-of-conversational-robots-that-can-walk-in/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [The perception of identity is so intimately bound up with the perception of the human form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/the-perception-of-identity-is-so-intimately-bound-up-with-the/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [Robots have gotten steadily more capable, but humans' expectations that robots should have minds keeps biting robot developers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/robots-have-gotten-steadily-more-capable-but-humans-expectations-that/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [My goal is to create friend machines. Friendly genius machines. Machines with genius capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/my-goal-is-to-create-friend-machines-friendly-genius-machines/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [I was always into science fiction as a kid. I loved science and tinkering with things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/i-was-always-into-science-fiction-as-a-kid-i-loved-science-and/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [I have been motivated by this idea since I was a kid that if we invented machines that were created in the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/i-have-been-motivated-by-this-idea-since-i-was-a-kid-that-if-we/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [Robots will someday, or maybe, wake up. They may be really smart. They may be as creative, smart and capable as human beings, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/robots-will-someday-or-maybe-wake-up-they-may-be-really-smart-they/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [Machines are becoming devastatingly capable of things like killing. Those machines have no place for empathy. There's billions of dollars being spent on that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/machines-are-becoming-devastatingly-capable-of-things-like-killing/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [Nobody complains that Bernini's sculptures are too darn real, right? Or that Norman Rockwell's paintings are too creepy. Well, robots can seem real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/nobody-complains-that-bernini-s-sculptures-are-too-darn-real-right-or/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [If we're going to achieve compassion in the machines and also feel safe with the machines, to raise machines with human-like values, we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/if-we-re-going-to-achieve-compassion-in-the-machines-and-also-feel/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [Character robotics could plant the seed for robots that actually have empathy. So, if they achieve human level intelligence or, quite possibly, greater than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/character-robotics-could-plant-the-seed-for-robots-that-actually-have/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) > [I have found in experiments, people become used to the robots. The less startling they become, the more commonplace they get. If these robots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hanson/i-have-found-in-experiments-people-become-used-to-the-robots-the-less/) [David Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) [Explore all 14 David Hanson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hanson/) ## More Also quotes > [I'm a workaholic, but I also like to vacation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrueche-tran/i-m-a-workaholic-but-i-also-like-to-vacation/) [Karrueche Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrueche-tran/) > [I've also directed, shot, and edited several music videos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-king/i-ve-also-directed-shot-and-edited-several-music-videos/) [Richard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-king/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. 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But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [With all the technology we're inventing and what they're coming up with scientifically, people are having longer lifetimes. It's scary, but in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-murphy/with-all-the-technology-we-re-inventing-and-what-they-re-coming-up/) [Brittany Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-murphy/) > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [I always like to look for adventure when I go away. I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. 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