Event
Tue 13 Sep 2016 11:00-19:30 at Watershed Spaces
Being There Showcase
A celebration of the projects, experiences and unique experiments that have come out of this research project about Humans and Robots In Public Space.
Image Credit: Paul Blakemore
Hosted by
Hazel Grian
A pioneer of interactive drama, specialising in robots, Hazel began as a live performer & filmmaker. In a 35 year career, she is driven by her ambition to bring stories to audiences by ‘any medium necessary’.
Seth Honnor
Artistic Director @kaleider | Creator of #TheMoney | Hon Fellow @UniofExeter | Board Member @reacthub & @maykithappen | Husband | Dad
Simon Johnson
I’m a game designer specialised in enabling people to play in real, social spaces. I design to amaze, activate and promote understanding. I am a co-director at Free Ice Cream, where we make complex subjects playable.
Sam Hill
Sam is an experience designer and co-founder, with Ben Barker, of design practice PAN Studio - producing interactive experiences and creating experimental objects.
Stuart Nolan
Stuart Nolan is an applied magician with a background in performance, cell biology, interactive media, experience design, programming, technology development, academic research and education.
Duncan Speakman
Duncan is an artist working with mobile audio in uncontrolled public and private spaces. His current PhD research is in the compositional structures of locative audio works and their relationship to current ecological debate.
Tom Metcalfe
Designer. Builds physical-digital products. Discovers and maps factories in Bristol and Bath. Runs an interaction design talk chapter. Tutors on an Experience Design MA.As society’s use (and need) for robots grows, there are many aspects of future life, work and play that will require their presence: understanding the complexities of our relationship with robots is crucial. The unique event showcases collaborative research that took place across the country over the last three years, exploring the challenges and opportunities that arise when Humans and Robots share Public Space.
How can we design robots that are able to engage with us socially? Would we trust them to communicate on our behalf? How can we preserve privacy in human robot communication? Being There brought together researchers from the Universities of Exeter, Bath, Oxford, Cambridge and the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, in collaboration with Watershed and a team of creative practitioners to explore how the world of robotics can encourage, support and even represent people (from the meeting room to the bar).
The Being There Showcase will feature a keynote from legendary designer, Sebastian Conran, alongside presentations from leading robotics researchers, and opportunities to play with some specially commissioned robot games, dance with ‘robot-lets’, and meet the people behind these diverse projects which span technology, engineering, psychology and security. All this plus a fabulous Robot Cabaret featuring three fantastical robot performances hosted by Bill Thompson of BBC Click.
Being There is funded by the EPSRC under research grant as part of its IDEAS Factory Sandpits call on Digital Personhood.
Time : 10:00-18:30
Tickets are free but booking is required (maximum 2 places per customer).
Everyone is welcome, no specialist knowledge is necessary to attend.
Access: this event will be BSL interpreted. If you have any questions about accessibility or would like to talk to us about your access requirements please email showcase@being-there.org.uk
Lunch will be provided.
