Meet Hala.
Hala is a robot receptionist designed to explore algorithms for human robot interaction in a mixed cultural setting. She is not your typical robot; quite the opposite. She speaks formal Arabic and American English with no local dialect. She has a personal background and personality unique to her.
Dressed in a smart navy jacket and Carnegie Mellon scarf, Hala is ready to answer questions in both English and Arabic. You type a question, and she’ll say the answer aloud. She can give directions to an office or a classroom, tell you where to get a cup of coffee or just chit chat about her life in Doha. When she is feeling bored, Hala even reaches out and tries to initiate conversations with passersby.
