With a background in interaction design and techno-animism, Judith Dörrenbächer explores how alternative ontologies can inform human-computer interaction, proposing animist approaches to the design of social robots. Andreas Muxel brings a material and speculative angle through his work on hybrid artifacts and physical human-machine interfaces, drawing from his experience in design research and education. Alessandro Mac-Nelly, working between architecture, AI, and critical machine aesthetics, will present recent experiments and reflections from his artistic-research practice, including his work with Algorithmic Cultural Vandalism.

Together modes of designing and understanding machines not as neutral tools, but as cultural actors, entities that shape and reflect our behaviors, desires, and educational paradigms were discussed.