Hyperbody hosts Delft Robotics Institute's monthly RoboCafé on "Pro-active Robotics"

Date: THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER
Time 17:00 HRS
Location TU Delft, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Protospace

"Non-verbal communication and cultural diversity are fundamental forms of heritage. How can we preserve and enhance this vital communication mode via innovative application of new media and robotics?"

On October 1st, Dr. Nimish Biloria from Hyperbody will host the RoboCafé at the Faculty of Architecture and Built Environment.

Nimish will start a discussion on the theme "Pro-active Robotics". The theme is the result of an emerging thought process instigated by an ongoing EU Project METABODY, and is fuelled by the current trends in Artificial Intelligence and affective computing.

The shift from responsive, to interactive, to pro-active behaviour in robotic applications, the means and modes of achieving this, and its connection with human psychology and cognition shall become the subjects of debate, discussions and knowledge exchange in the upcoming event.

Hybridity, as regards inter-disciplinary fusions of the domains of Robotics, Art, Architecture, Generative media, to name a few, shall acquire centre stage. This shall be complimented with 1:1 scale prototypes which the RoboCafé participants can interact and engage with. The prototypes serve as a medium of active exchange of knowledge, and will provide opportunities to enhance their behavioural (multi-modal) modalities.

We will discuss issues pertaining to the 'Techno-genetic spiral', and how current media (specially mass communication) reduce non-verbal communication to a highly reduced set of standardized and traceable gestures of interaction through interfaces. This is inducing an unprecedented empoverishment of cultural expressions at global scale. How can we propose alternative modes of non-verbal communication (via integrated, Pro-active robotics), within such a context to produce novel experiential environments and physical interfaces that highlight the diversity of embodied expressions, bodies and contexts.

Nimish and the METABODY group will also introduce and expand upon Hyperbody's initiatives concerning robotic architectural environments, and will also propose a challenging research and design driven initiative for the DRI to pursue together in the coming years.

Please feel free to drop in, share your thoughts, showcase prototypes, have a drink, and share a bite!