In June 2024, I participated in a seminar about Designing Computers’ Control over Our Body at Dagstuhl, Germany, with 24 other excellent researchers. We spend a week diving into the subject from as many angles as possible. It was an intense and highly inspiring week. Besides meeting and working with some of the leading researchers in this field, I also got a lot of inspiration for new research to do 🙂
Abstract:
The question of who is in control and how much has been an ongoing issue in designing human-computer interfaces. However, these interfaces have changed (primarily due to emerging technologies, such as increasingly powerful sensors and actuators powered by artificial intelligence). Thus, the shape, form and meaning of control have also evolved. As interactive systems merge more closely with our bodies, the issue of control becomes crucial. Modern interfaces can now manipulate our physical movements and appearance, raising important questions about autonomy and agency. This paper brings together expert perspectives on which grand challenges must be tackled to advance the field. Ultimately, humans benefit from the opportunity for computers to share control of our bodies.
The results of our week-long work are conceived in a paper currently in review titled “Grand Challenges to Designing the Computer’s Control over Our Body.”
