Speculative and Creative Approaches in HRI: Special Session at ICSR 2026 - (Extended Deadline: 15 of March)

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đź“ť Description

Speculative and creative methods in HRI aim to create novel Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) designs, provoke thought and imagine possible near and far futures, and critique the values, norms and socio-technical implications embedded into robotic designs. We invite authors to submit full papers utilising speculative and creative methods exploring the questions:

In this special session, we invite researchers and artists to submit full papers that imagine creative and speculative “what-if” futures of human-robot interaction, challenge assumptions of HRI, and provoke discussion about desirable and undesirable human-robot futures.

We are motivated by the fact that speculative and creative approaches are currently underutilised in HRI research. We believe that these approaches can enable critical conversations about where the HRI field is headed, having a positive impact on its future. With this special session, we aim to create a space where participants across disciplines can learn from each other about how speculative and creative approaches can be usefully applied in HRI. We welcome submissions that explore speculative and creative human-robot interaction, as well as empirical, technical, theoretical and artistic contributions with elements of speculation and creativity.

đź“š List of topics (*but not limited to)

đź‘Ą Envisioned Participants

We invite participants that span across both HRI research and creative practice communities. Participants will both creatively explore future human–robot relationships using speculative methods, and critically interrogate them. We therefore welcome researchers and critical scholars, but also designers, technologists, and artists who are actively engaging with or particularly interested in speculative, design-led, creative methodologies.

🎨 Publication list

🛠️ Organisers

Minja Axelsson

Minja Axelsson

Affiliation: University of Cambridge, CFI and CHIA

Bio: Dr. Minja Axelsson is a postdoctoral researcher, Visiting Scholar at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, and Teaching Fellow at the Centre of Human-Inspired AI (University of Cambridge). She researches the design and ethics of social robots. She has worked as an artist and co-founder at Ekho Collective, creating immersive speculative artworks exploring possible futures, utilising AI.

Daniel Tozadore

Daniel Tozadore

Affiliation: University College London

Bio: Dr. Daniel Tozadore is a Lecturer in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at University College London (UCL), specialized in Human-Robot Interaction, adaptive systems, and educational technologies. His research focuses on designing intelligent systems that support learning, with particular interest in social robots, explainable AI, and user-centred design. Daniel has led and contributed to interdisciplinary projects that bridge robotics, education, and cognitive science.

Malak Sadek

Malak Sadek

Affiliation: University of Cambridge, CHIA

Bio: Dr. Malak Sadek is MPhil Deputy Director and Teaching Associate at the Centre for Human Inspired AI (CHIA) at Cambridge University. She holds a PhD in Design Engineering from Imperial College London. Malak’s research explores using collaborative design methods for creating conversational AI systems that are better aligned with human values. Malak also has several years of professional experience working with corporations, institutes, and NGOs to create more human-centred AI. These include two FAANGs, UN Women UK, The Alan Turing Institute, Bold Insight, and AIxDesign.

Lea Luka Sikau

Lea Luka Sikau

Affiliation: Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe

Bio: Dr. Lea Luka Sikau (she/her) is an artist-researcher who situates herself at the intersection of opera and multisensory art. Having received a doctoral degree from the University of Cambridge for her research on posthumanism, rehearsal ethnography and new opera, she became a Fellow at Harvard University’s Mellon School for Performance Research and was awarded with the Bavarian Cultural Award for her research at MIT’s Center for Art, Science and Technology. She has worked with Romeo Castellucci, Marina Abramović and Rimini Protokoll. Within her duo Sikau/Pubalova, Dr. Sikau showcased solo exhibitions at Science Gallery Bangalore, Kunsthalle Prague and LABoral Centro de Arte, commissioned by the European Commission, S+T+ARTS, Ars Electronica Festival, Transmediale, Ensemble Modern and Climate Week NYC. As the Curator for Music and Sound Art at the ZKM | Hertzlab, she shapes the sonic profile of artistic research and programming, responsible for the artist residency programs and the performance series at the ambisonics sound dome.

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