In the twenty-first century century we will see a fundamental shift in the relationship between human and machines. Robots can now learn, perceive the world around them, and interact with people. Professor Dario Floreano is one of the world's leading experts in robotics and artificial intelligence. He is Director of the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and is Director of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Robotics. Professor Floreano is also a founding member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Robotics and Smart Devices and is an executive board member of the International Society for Neural Networks.