A CONVERSATION WITH: CYNTHIA BREAZEAL; A Passion to Build a Better Robot, One With Social Skills and a Smile

Dr. Cynthia L. Breazeal of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is famous for her robots, not just because they they are programmed to perform specific tasks, but because they seem to have emotional as well as physical reactions to the world around them. They are ''embodied,'' she says, even ''sociable'' robots -- experimental machines that act like living creatures. As part of its design triennial, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York is exhibiting a ''cyberfloral installation,'' by Dr. Breazeal, which features robotic flowers that sway when a human hand is near and glow in beautiful bright colors. ''The installation,'' said Dr. Breazeal, 35, ''communicates my future vision of robot design that is intellectually intriguing and remains true to its technological heritage, but is able to touch us emotionally in the quality of interaction and their responsiveness to us -- more like a dance, rather than pushing buttons.'' Dr. Breazeal (pronounced bruh-ZILL) wrote about her adventures as a modern-day Mary Shelley in her book ''Designing Sociable Robots,'' released this year by M.I.T. Press.