Joanne Pransky Death, Obituary – Joanne Pransky, who was widely known all over the world as the First Robotic Psychiatrist and whom Isaac Asimov affectionately referred to as the actual Susan Calvin, passed away recently. It is with a heavy heart that I share the news of her departure with you. Joanne was a staunch supporter of both the area of robotics and the equal participation of women in it.
Joanne’s major contribution to the robotics business and her work with robot trade journals proved to be invaluable, despite the fact that she did not hold advanced degrees in the field of robotics. She had a sharp ability to differentiate between technologies that actually had an impact and others that were just hype. I consider it a privilege to have counted her as a friend because of both her contagious excitement and her unquenchable thirst for knowledge, which served as an enduring source of motivation for me.
During the course of our discussion, she expressed her astonishment at Asimov’s brilliance, which consisted of imagining robots as positive influences, companions, and tools to assist humans focus on the duties that are uniquely human to us, despite the fact that he was just 19 years old at the time. Joanne was one of the original advocates for what is now known as human-centered robotics.
This approach to the study of robotics places an emphasis on the indisputable role that humans play in the operation of every robotic system. She emphasized that the idea that robots are not a threat but rather tools to increase our skills rather than a threat to humanity. The demise of her represents a major setback for us in this arena.