Creatively designing socially intelligent robots

What role does creative design theory and practice play in the mechanical and technical design of socially intelligent robots? It may be true and evident that creative design theory and practice can play a variety of roles since some socially intelligent prototype robots already exist. The question then becomes: What future role(s) should creative design theory and practice play in the mass production of socially intelligent robots? In order to answer this question we may need to view socially intelligent robots not just as a mechanical amalgamation of complex scientific theories, computer programs and technical parts, but as a creative design form that in itself communicates (or will communicate) with a counterpart (that may be human) in a future time and in a predetermined or target social context. We may also need to view the process of designing socially intelligent robots as a social process that warrants audience input. Therefore, the function and form of a mass produced SIR may need to depend on the way that a multidisciplinary design team (that includes the engineers, social scientists, creative designers and especially the target audience) wants it to be aesthetically and technically designed to behave in its target social context