Tom Sgouros and his robot friend Judy perform a rare feat. In "What Is It Like To Be A Robot?," they provoke thought, instill curiosity, and even generate sympathetic considerations for the possible plight of a future race of electronic slaves. But first and foremost, they entertain. Tom seems to be something of a Renaissance guy, broadly informed about a variety of intellectual topics, handy with tools, and a careful performer to boot. His metal sidekick Judy is clever with an appealing singing voice (on second thought, it's not clear who the sidekick really is). Their meticulously timed performance got rave reviews by many in attendance. The impacts of the show reverberated for weeks after, generating an extended discussion of mind-body questions on our cognitive science discussion board. Go see it, and bring your kids and your parents.

Daniel Montello, Chair of the Cognitive Science Program at UCSB