Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Psychology
Abstract
From mystical experiences brought about through trance or psychedelic drug use, to film fantasies such as The Matrix, Avatar and Surrogates people have long been fascinated with the idea of projecting the self outside of the body, or into a different body, or even into a radically different world. In history and in literature, such an experience is often described as a life-transforming event-through transcending corporal limits, or leaving your own body entirely, perhaps to temporarily inhabit another, you might come to see and understand yourself in new and more enlightened ways.
With the development of next generation virtual reality and telepresence technologies, the possibility of experiencing the world from a point-of-view other than that from behind our own eyes is becoming a possibility for all of us. Fully immersive technologies, through which you have the compelling feeling of being in another place or body, are on the near horizon, and scientists and technologists are everyday discovering new ways to directly manipulate your experience of where, what, or even who, you are. As more-and-more people devote time and energy to life in virtual or 'cyber' realities-with different degrees of immersion-our cyberselves, the people who we become in these virtual worlds, could become as important to us as our 'real' selves. Since the technologies are advancing so rapidly, there has been little time to consider the transformative effects that widespread access to deep and prolonged immersion could have on people, their relationships, and our societies (both real and virtual); for example, the idea that the virtual world is less 'authentic' than the physical one is being challenged by people for whom their cyber-relationships are more important than those happening in 'real' life.
The "Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies" project considers it imperative that we examine the transforming impact of immersive technologies on our societies and cultures. To do so effectively, a multi-disciplinary approach is required that embraces methods from both the humanities and sciences. Our project includes philosophers and cultural theorists, working alongside psychologists, technologists, and cognitive scientists. We seek to explore and understand the notion of immersion both in its historical and cultural contexts, and in the 'here and now'-examining how immersive technology operates and how it effects our brains on bodies. We plan to draw from these analyses conclusions about the cultural perception and likely social impact of this technology near- and long-term.
Our project will involve experimental studies using a virtual reality environment, and the comparison of immersion in this virtual world with that of experiencing the real world through telepresence (remote presence) interfaces to an advanced humanoid robot. We will use state-of-the-art motion capture, virtual reality and robotics equipment already operating at the Sheffield Centre for Robotics and the University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona to explore objective and subjective aspects of the immersive experience and to understand how our conceptions of our bodies may be transformed by such experience. By collaborating across disciplines and by combining this approach with cultural and ethical analyses we expect to (i) generate an improved understanding of the cultural, historical and ideological constructions around the notion of virtual reality and the projected self; (ii) transform the way that cognitive scientists investigate immersive and virtual reality technologies as a way of discovering more about the nature of the self; (iii) identify critical cultural anxieties and future societal challenges raised by immersive technologies; and (iv) promote a scientifically- and culturally- informed debate about the potential benefits and risks of living more of our lives as cyberselves.
With the development of next generation virtual reality and telepresence technologies, the possibility of experiencing the world from a point-of-view other than that from behind our own eyes is becoming a possibility for all of us. Fully immersive technologies, through which you have the compelling feeling of being in another place or body, are on the near horizon, and scientists and technologists are everyday discovering new ways to directly manipulate your experience of where, what, or even who, you are. As more-and-more people devote time and energy to life in virtual or 'cyber' realities-with different degrees of immersion-our cyberselves, the people who we become in these virtual worlds, could become as important to us as our 'real' selves. Since the technologies are advancing so rapidly, there has been little time to consider the transformative effects that widespread access to deep and prolonged immersion could have on people, their relationships, and our societies (both real and virtual); for example, the idea that the virtual world is less 'authentic' than the physical one is being challenged by people for whom their cyber-relationships are more important than those happening in 'real' life.
The "Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies" project considers it imperative that we examine the transforming impact of immersive technologies on our societies and cultures. To do so effectively, a multi-disciplinary approach is required that embraces methods from both the humanities and sciences. Our project includes philosophers and cultural theorists, working alongside psychologists, technologists, and cognitive scientists. We seek to explore and understand the notion of immersion both in its historical and cultural contexts, and in the 'here and now'-examining how immersive technology operates and how it effects our brains on bodies. We plan to draw from these analyses conclusions about the cultural perception and likely social impact of this technology near- and long-term.
Our project will involve experimental studies using a virtual reality environment, and the comparison of immersion in this virtual world with that of experiencing the real world through telepresence (remote presence) interfaces to an advanced humanoid robot. We will use state-of-the-art motion capture, virtual reality and robotics equipment already operating at the Sheffield Centre for Robotics and the University of Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona to explore objective and subjective aspects of the immersive experience and to understand how our conceptions of our bodies may be transformed by such experience. By collaborating across disciplines and by combining this approach with cultural and ethical analyses we expect to (i) generate an improved understanding of the cultural, historical and ideological constructions around the notion of virtual reality and the projected self; (ii) transform the way that cognitive scientists investigate immersive and virtual reality technologies as a way of discovering more about the nature of the self; (iii) identify critical cultural anxieties and future societal challenges raised by immersive technologies; and (iv) promote a scientifically- and culturally- informed debate about the potential benefits and risks of living more of our lives as cyberselves.
Planned Impact
The technology for immersive virtual reality is improving very rapidly, largely due to its importance to the entertainment and games industries. In addition to leisure, however, there are also important applications of immersive technologies (ImT) in the civil and commercial domains: for example, teleoperation of remote equipment in hazardous environments (such as the nuclear industry, oil & gas, space); telepresence for delivering healthcare or conducting business; and augmented reality, for applications in areas such as design (e.g. planning and architecture), tourism, and retail (particularly online). Perhaps most controversially, these technologies have also found military applications, such as the remote piloting of aircraft ("drones"). Concerns also arise that people, especially children, through exposure to immersive technologies could be put at risk of cognitive, physical or emotional damage, or could become exposed to dangerous or malicious content, that due to the compelling nature of immersion could have much more harmful effects than content displayed through more conventional interfaces (e.g. TV). Thus, while important economically, the broadening use of immersive technology is a major concern both for policy-makers and the wider public. Given this context, this research has many potential beneficiaries:
* Government, and advisory bodies such as the Technology Strategy Board, will benefit from a better understanding of public perceptions and anxieties, and how these technologies are shaped by both cultural aspiration and fear. This will inform policies concerning the use of ImT in business and to address key challenges such as healthcare provision.
* Charities, and government bodies concerned with cyber-risk and cyber-security, will potentially benefit, as worries about the growing use of ImT are explored.
* Manufacturers and end-users of cybertechnologies will benefit from investigation of the societal impacts of ImT in both established markets, such as gaming, and in emerging ones, such as telecare.
* People with disabilities, illness, or recovering from injury, will benefit through exploration of the potential benefits of ImT for telehealth, for gaining better control over the environment through teleoperation, and of the use of mixed-reality ImT in rehabilitation.
* Companies and organisations employing teleoperation of equipment in remote or hazardous environments will benefit from a better understanding of the user experience of ImT.
* Organisations, public and private, that are making increasing use of cybertechnologies to improve efficiency and communication will benefit through a better understanding of the unintended consequences and cultural impacts of, for example, the growing use of telepresence devices for conferencing.
* The artistic and scientific communities will benefit by exploring the mutual relationship between science fiction and science-led design, and between methodologies applied in the arts and those used in technology development. By bringing together scientists, cultural and literary scholars the project will enrich imagination and creativity in both the artistic and scientific/design spheres related to ImT.
* Ethicists, theologians, and lawyers who are concerned with the notion of what it means to be a 'person', will benefit from exploration of the concept of cyberselves in a humanities-grounded, but scientifically well-informed, context. This could allow progress in some major moral and legal debates about cyber-identities and rights.
* The public will benefit from better engagement with all of the above issues and improved information. We will seek to understand public anxieties surrounding ImT, both conscious and unconscious, which greatly effect the perception and acceptance of these technologies and which will significantly impact on human wellbeing, now and in the future.
* Government, and advisory bodies such as the Technology Strategy Board, will benefit from a better understanding of public perceptions and anxieties, and how these technologies are shaped by both cultural aspiration and fear. This will inform policies concerning the use of ImT in business and to address key challenges such as healthcare provision.
* Charities, and government bodies concerned with cyber-risk and cyber-security, will potentially benefit, as worries about the growing use of ImT are explored.
* Manufacturers and end-users of cybertechnologies will benefit from investigation of the societal impacts of ImT in both established markets, such as gaming, and in emerging ones, such as telecare.
* People with disabilities, illness, or recovering from injury, will benefit through exploration of the potential benefits of ImT for telehealth, for gaining better control over the environment through teleoperation, and of the use of mixed-reality ImT in rehabilitation.
* Companies and organisations employing teleoperation of equipment in remote or hazardous environments will benefit from a better understanding of the user experience of ImT.
* Organisations, public and private, that are making increasing use of cybertechnologies to improve efficiency and communication will benefit through a better understanding of the unintended consequences and cultural impacts of, for example, the growing use of telepresence devices for conferencing.
* The artistic and scientific communities will benefit by exploring the mutual relationship between science fiction and science-led design, and between methodologies applied in the arts and those used in technology development. By bringing together scientists, cultural and literary scholars the project will enrich imagination and creativity in both the artistic and scientific/design spheres related to ImT.
* Ethicists, theologians, and lawyers who are concerned with the notion of what it means to be a 'person', will benefit from exploration of the concept of cyberselves in a humanities-grounded, but scientifically well-informed, context. This could allow progress in some major moral and legal debates about cyber-identities and rights.
* The public will benefit from better engagement with all of the above issues and improved information. We will seek to understand public anxieties surrounding ImT, both conscious and unconscious, which greatly effect the perception and acceptance of these technologies and which will significantly impact on human wellbeing, now and in the future.
Organisations
- University of Sheffield (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Max Planck Society (Collaboration)
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (Collaboration)
- Italian Institute of Technology (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia IIT) (Collaboration)
- NESTA (Collaboration)
- Yale University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- University of Bologna (Collaboration)
- Pompeu Fabra University (Project Partner)
Publications
Camilleri D
(2018)
Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems
Collignon F
Cold War Legacies: Systems, Theories, Aesthetics
Giubilini A
The Artificial Moral Advisor
in Under Submission
Martinez-Hernandez U
(2016)
Bayesian perception of touch for control of robot emotion
Martinez-Hernandez U
(2017)
Multisensory Wearable Interface for Immersion and Telepresence in Robotics
in IEEE Sensors Journal
Martinez-Hernandez U
(2016)
Expressive touch: Control of robot emotional expression by touch
Moulin-Frier C
(2018)
DAC-h3: A Proactive Robot Cognitive Architecture to Acquire and Express Knowledge About the World and the Self
in IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems
Prescott T
(2017)
Ethical principles of robotics
in Connection Science
Title | Software Garden |
Description | A performance from Rory Pilgrim and in collaboration with poet Carol Kalled, singer Robyn Haddon and dancer Casper-Malte Jørgensen. This performance explores connections between technology, disability and care as a way of looking at larger political frameworks. Interweaving poetry, speech, song and choreography, this will be the first performance as part of a larger new body of work built on Pilgrim's first experimental music album. Unfolding somewhere between Kabuki theatre, a pop concert and a political social space of action, this performance will attempt to bring together a variety of people from different ages, backgrounds, human and robotic, to propose the creation of an embodied system of care and kindness as a software garden. |
Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Impact | A robot was programmed to perform as an integral part of a performance examining the connections between technology, disability and care. As part of the Block Universe 2017 season - a London-wide festival of performance, dance, visual art and music - it enjoyed a significant live audience at the Light, Euston Rd., London, and was steamed online. |
URL | http://blockuniverse.co.uk/software-garden/ |
Description | Achievements: (i) We have developed novel scientific and cultural methodologies for exploring the experience of virtual reality and immersion in a humanoid robot. (ii) We have completed an analysis of the ethical challenges relating to virtual reality and telepresence particularly pertaining to moral responsibility for action at a distance and ethical codes governing virtual acts. (iii) We have engaged with the public via demonstrations, film events and public lectures, to explore public attitudes towards immersive technologies. (iv) We have organised an international workshop on cyberselves technologies. (v) We have published results from virtual reality and telepresence experiments and conduct further experimental studies. (vi) We have developed a robotics and telepresence "roadshow" that we are taking to multiple events in the UK and abroad supported by AHRC follow-on for Impact and Engagement Funding for this project. |
Exploitation Route | Other researchers can use our methodologies to study immersive technologies. The ethical and societal issues identified in the project can be further explored and could influence public debate and future legislation around immersice technologies. |
Sectors | Creative Economy Healthcare Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
URL | https://cyberselves.wordpress.com/ |
Description | Developing multiple paths to social and cultural impact via public engagement events, beyond the 25 events added in previous years, there are an additional 44 we have added that have resulted from our AHRC follow-up funding. The educational aspects of the project have led to two reports "Skills and Education in Robotics and AI" and "Preparing the Workforce for 2030" that have been received positively by companies, third-sector organisations and government (BEIS). Economic impact. Creation of the spin-out company Cyberselves Universal Ltd, which is involved in directly commercialising ideas developed in the project relating to human-robot interation and robotic telepresence. The spin-out has won three funding awards and has received funding from a commercial fund for tech startups. It is one of 16 finalists in the International Ana Avatar XPrize Competition out of an original field of 900+. |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
Description | AHRC Follow-on Funding for Impact and Engagement |
Amount | £78,493 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/R004811/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 09/2018 |
Description | Augmenting the Body: Disability, Care and the Posthuman |
Amount | £28,922 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 205336/Z/16/Z |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 12/2017 |
Description | Anticipatory governance in response to new technological horizons |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | School of Geography and the Environment |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint Principal Investigator on a funding bid with PIs: Marina Jirotka - Professor of Human Centred Computing, Department of Computer Science PI Julian Savulescu - Uehiro Professor of Practical Ethics, Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics PI Eric Meyer - Professor of Social Informatics, Oxford Internet Institute |
Collaborator Contribution | All PIs developed the application together |
Impact | Joint funding bid Multi-disciplinary: Computer Science, Philosophy, Social Informatics |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Augmenting the Body |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Department | Leeds Humanities Research Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Wellcome Seed Award in Humanities and Social Science, 'Augmenting the Body: Disability, Care and the Posthuman', 205336/Z/16/Z, P.I. Professor Stuart Murray, University of Leeds. |
Collaborator Contribution | This was a collaborative network which organised several workshops and has led to a Wellcome Collaborative award bid |
Impact | Successful first round bid for a Wellcome Collaborative Award "Imagining Technologies for Disability Futures" |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Collaboration on Horizons of Intelligence: AI Safety and Governance |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Computer Science |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Professor Julian Savulescu and Dr. Hannah Maslen (Philosophy) have entered into a collaboration with Professor Michael Osborne (Engineering), Professor Stephen Roberts (Engineering), Professor Nick Bostrom (Philosophy), Professor Allan Dafoe (Politics & International Relations), commencing with a joint £1 million funding bid |
Collaborator Contribution | All collaborators worked together on the funding bid |
Impact | Funding bid Multi-disciplinary: Engineering, Philosophy, Politics and International relations |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration on Horizons of Intelligence: AI Safety and Governance |
Organisation | Yale University |
Department | Department of Neuroscience |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Professor Julian Savulescu and Dr. Hannah Maslen (Philosophy) have entered into a collaboration with Professor Michael Osborne (Engineering), Professor Stephen Roberts (Engineering), Professor Nick Bostrom (Philosophy), Professor Allan Dafoe (Politics & International Relations), commencing with a joint £1 million funding bid |
Collaborator Contribution | All collaborators worked together on the funding bid |
Impact | Funding bid Multi-disciplinary: Engineering, Philosophy, Politics and International relations |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Nesta |
Organisation | Nesta |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | We are providing demonstrations of our technologies and of robotics more generally at various Nesta events, including FutureFest, science festivals, and events related to their Longitude Explorer Prize. |
Collaborator Contribution | Nesta provide venues and access to students, industry leaders and educational partners. |
Impact | Still in development. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Sapiens 5.0 |
Organisation | Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Co-development of a FET Flagship EU first round proposal "Sapiens 5.0" |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-development of a FET Flagship EU first round proposal "Sapiens 5.0" |
Impact | First round application to the EU Commission FET Flagship call |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Sapiens 5.0 |
Organisation | Italian Institute of Technology (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia IIT) |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Co-development of a FET Flagship EU first round proposal "Sapiens 5.0" |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-development of a FET Flagship EU first round proposal "Sapiens 5.0" |
Impact | First round application to the EU Commission FET Flagship call |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Sapiens 5.0 |
Organisation | Max Planck Society |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Co-development of a FET Flagship EU first round proposal "Sapiens 5.0" |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-development of a FET Flagship EU first round proposal "Sapiens 5.0" |
Impact | First round application to the EU Commission FET Flagship call |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | University of Bologna |
Organisation | University of Bologna |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The University of Bologna are adopting the teleoperation and programming technologies developed through Cyberselves. Researchers in the AIAS at Bologna are going to use Animus and Teleport to program and control robots that they use in their work with children with ASD and in special needs education. |
Collaborator Contribution | Bologna are running projects (funded and operated in Italy) with children with autism and special educational needs. |
Impact | In development. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Title | Software for robotic elepresence |
Description | System for immersive telepresence into multiple robot platforms via VR headset. |
IP Reference | |
Protection | Copyrighted (e.g. software) |
Year Protection Granted | |
Licensed | Commercial In Confidence |
Impact | Licensing to one commercial partner. |
Title | Animus |
Description | Animus is a middleware library that allows the coding of all robots using any platform on any operating system. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Impact | Animus has already been used to develop the telepresence application Teleport, with many more planned in the future. It is the central IP for the forthcoming spin-out Cyberselves. |
Company Name | BOW |
Description | BOW develops apps and software which aim to make programming robotics more simple. |
Year Established | 2020 |
Impact | Spun-out from the University of Sheffield in March 2020. |
Website | https://www.usebow.com/ |
Description | 2018 Human Brain Project Innovation Expo, Science Museum, London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended (and was pivotal in organising) the Human Brain Project's Innovation Expo at the Science Museum in London, 23 March 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://hbpinnovationexpoorg.wordpress.com/ |
Description | AHRC Featured Article-Droid Dreams: Robot Companions in Imagination and Reality |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The AHRC website commissioned and published an article by Tony Prescott on robot companions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://ahrc.ukri.org/research/readwatchlisten/features/robot-companions/ |
Description | AI Summit London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The AI Summit global series uniquely has the support of tech's elite, with our premium sponsors and partners including AWS, IBM Watson, Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Google, Samsung, Facebook, Publicis Sapient, Genpact, Intel alongside an ecosystem of 5,000+ start-ups and over 30,000 delegates annually. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://london.theaisummit.com/ |
Description | AI Summit, 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended the Ai Summit at London's ExCel Centre, 13 & 14 June, 2018. Organisers estimate over 10,000 people attended the conference over 2 days. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://london.theaisummit.com/ |
Description | AISB Convention |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves hosted a panel at the Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour (AISB)'s 2018 convention at the University of Liverpool, specifically discussing the challenges in engaging the public and other stakeholders on AI, robotics and other new technologies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://aisb2018.csc.liv.ac.uk/programme.html |
Description | ARTificial ~ Exploring (with) "The Trial of the Superdebthunterbot": Technology, Art, Law and the Posthuman |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves hosted a screening of the film, ARTificial ~ Exploring (with) "The Trial of the Superdebthunterbot": Technology, Art, Law and the Posthuman, in association with the 2018 AISB Convention at the Liverpool Medical Institution & Conference Centre, 4 April, 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/artificial-exploring-with-the-trial-of-the-superdebthunterbot-tickets-4... |
Description | Autonomous robots at Mobile University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Hands-on demonstrations for the public of autonomous flying robots, including virtual reality interface. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/mobileuni/fridayprogramme |
Description | BBC Free Thinking |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League and MIT media lab researcher, Anders Sandberg of the Future of the Human Institute at Oxford, artist Anna Ridler and Sheffield Robotics' Michael Szollosy join Matthew Sweet and an audience at the Barbican to debate whether creativity is something uniquely human. AI: More Than Human runs at the Barbican Gallery until August 26th 2019. Part of a week-long focus Free Thinking the Future. You can find more interviews and discussions to download and catch up with on the playlist on our website https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03zwn4d |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005nml |
Description | BBC Free Thinking - Being Human Debate at Fact, Liverpool: Man and Animals |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Michael Szollosy appeared on BBC Radio 3's Free Thinking programme, a debate at Fact, Liverpool on Man and Animals, as part of Being Human 2017 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b082kwsl |
Description | BBC Radio 4 - The World This Weekend |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Recorded interview with Mark Mardell on The World this Weekend, BBC Radio 4, Sun 19 Feb |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08fd9rj |
Description | BBC Sunday Morning Live |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We brought parts of the Cyberselves Roadshow into Broadcasting House as part of a live recording of Sunday Morning Live, BBC One, 8 April, 2018. Estimate average audience figures for this show is 700,000 per episode. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06d86rx |
Description | BETT Show 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | We brought robots to demonstrate at the 2018 BETT (British Educational Training and Technology) Show at ExCel Centre, London, 24 - 27 Jan. 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.bettshow.com/ |
Description | BETT talk and showcase |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Talk and demonstrations of robotics and their possible uses in education, through EASEL and (AHRC-funded) Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.bettshow.com/ |
Description | Back to the Future Day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A talk on robotics and new technologies, hosted at the Curzon Cinema in Sheffield as part of their Back to the Future Day celebrations, looking at how advances in robotics, virtual reality and related technologies have transformed our lives (or failed to do so) since 1985. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.curzoncinemas.com/film-info/back-to-the-future-part-ii |
Description | Being Human 2016, Robots: Hope or Fear? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Tony Prescott and Michael Szollosy organised at spoke at an event in Sheffield called on Robots: Hope or Fear? as part of the Being Human Festival 2016 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/robots-and-ai-hope-or-fear-tickets-29480937277# |
Description | Bluedot Festival 2017, Jodrell Bank, Cheshire |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We exhibited robots and provided coding workshops at the Bluedot Festival at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire (sponsored by the University of Manchester), 7 - 9 July, 2017. Organisers estimate that 30,000 people were in attendance over the 3 days. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.discoverthebluedot.com/news_article/thank-you-2017! |
Description | Bluedot Festival 2018, Jodrell Bank, Cheshire |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended (for the second year running) the Bluedot Festival of music and science at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, from 19 - 22 July, 2018. Organisers estimate an annual attendance of 30,000 people. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.discoverthebluedot.com/ |
Description | CBRE Amsterdam Managing Directors' Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | We presented our technologies and demonstrations to the European managing directors of CBRE, the international Fortune 500 company. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | CSN Blogs |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Blog posts on the culture of robotics, including social perceptions and impacts. Material related to Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies and EASEL. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
URL | http://csnblog.specs-lab.com/ |
Description | Cheltenham Science Festival 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended Cheltenham Science Festival, Cheltenham, UK. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science |
Description | Cheltenham Science Festival 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Cheltenham Science Festival is one of the UK's largest science festivals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science |
Description | Chorley Youth Zone |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | We exhibited the Cyberselves Roadshow at the Chorley Youth Zone at the invitation of Nesta. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | CogX 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended the 2018 CogX Festival of AI and Emerging Technology, focussed on industry and organisations. Organisers estimate 6500 people attended at Tobacco Docks, London. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyZN7zng9DQ&t=2s) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://cogx.co/ |
Description | Cornerstone Convergence |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended and demonstrated at the Cornerstone Convergence conference, 2018, held at the InterContinental Hotel, London, 13 & 14 November, 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.cornerstoneconvergence.eu/ |
Description | Culture of Robotics MOOC |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We are presently producing a MOOC (a Massively Open Online Course), a course that will be hosted on the learning website FutureLearn and will be available to any member of the public from anywhere in the world. Based on previous enrolment on such courses, we are expecting at least 10,000+ participants. The six-week course will be presented through a combination of articles, videos and other elements that encourage the participation of the students. (Delivery will be September 2016.) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Cyberselves Symposium |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The symposium will be multi-disciplinary, with contributions from technologists, psychologists, philosophers, literary and cultural theorists, with a particular focus on the future societal and cultural impacts of immersive technologies. It will also include a showcase of new technologies and current research into virtual reality, augmented reality and teleoperation |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Cyberselves at the Being Human Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies (an AHRC-funded project) took part in the national Being Human Festival 2016, offering a night to interact with robots, try virtual reality demonstrations and think about how new technologies are changing what it means to be 'human'. The 'Cyberselves exhibition' encourages visitors to experience cyber-worlds with cutting-edge technology and be involved in the debate around issues such as, 'How are we being transformed by our participation in cyber-spaces?', 'What are the consequences for our conceptions of self when we can transport ourselves to virtual worlds?' and 'How have we imagined such transformations of the self through technology in popular media?'. This hands-on demonstration and talk by Dr Michael Szollosy and team from Sheffield Robotics will take your thinking to a whole new level about how our everyday lives are being transformed by our participation in cyber-worlds. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://beinghumanfestival.org/event/cyberselves/ |
Description | Cyberselves website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Website for all Cyberselves activities, including announcing events for the Cyberselves Roadshow, reporting on events and news, articles and blogs on current events, etc.. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018,2019 |
URL | http://cyberselves.org |
Description | DigiFest 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended DigiFest, Jisc's edutech conference, at the Birmingham ICC, 6 - 7 March, 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.jisc.ac.uk/digifest |
Description | Dutch Brain - Human Brain Project Open Day, Amsterdam. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | We brought the Cyberselves Roadshow to contribute to the Human Brain Project's open day in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2 March, 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.flagera.eu/dutchbrain-national-outreach-event-of-the-human-brain-project/ |
Description | EU Robotics Forum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The European Robotics Forum 2019 (#ERF2019), the most influential meeting of the robotics community in Europe, took place in Bucharest, Romania, on 20-22 March 2019. ERF2019 brought together over 900 leading scientists, companies, and policy makers for the largest robotics networking event in Europe. Under the theme "Robots for Humans: AI for the real world", the over 50 workshops covered current societal and technical themes. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.eu-robotics.net/robotics_forum/info/history/erf-2019-bucharest-romania.html?changelang=3 |
Description | Edinburgh International Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Tony Prescott presented an invited talk "Are Friends Electric? Our Future Lives with Robots" to the 2018 Edinburgh International Science Festival sponsored by the British Computing Society (BCS) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.edinburgh.bcs.org/events/2018/180331.htm |
Description | Esperienza Insegna, Palermo, Italy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | As part of the Human Brain Project's contribution to Esperienza Insegna, hosted by Universita di Palermo in Palermo, Italy, Cyberselves Roadshow demonstrated robots and engaged with Sicilian pupils about robotics and psychology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://tgs.gds.it/programmi/telegiornale/2018/02/24/alluniversita-di-palermo-il-progetto-esperienza... |
Description | Festival of the Mind - Dancing with Robots |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Ran an exhibit demonstrating robot technology and human-robot interactions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYxju4VCEvc&t=6s |
Description | Festival of the Mind 2018, Futurecade |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | For 2018 Festival of the Mind, Cyberselves created an 'artists' collective', which presented 2 works of art related to robotics and the Futurecade theme of 'utopia/dystopia', which stayed on permanent display at the Millenium Galleries, Sheffield, from 20 - 27 September, 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://festivalofthemind.group.shef.ac.uk/ |
Description | Festivals Congress |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | We exhibited at the Festivals Congress 2019 in Sheffield at the invitation of the organisers of Sensoria. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://aiforg.com/festivalcongress/ |
Description | Five reasons why you don't need to fear the robopocalypse (and two why you might) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog post to accompany the Platform for Investigation: Our Robot Friends, at the Machester Science Museum. Was picked up by other outlets. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://blog.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/five-reasons-dont-need-fear-robopocalypse-two-might/ |
Description | Guardian Live and Manchester International Festival. 8th July 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | "Interdependence: We need to talk" (panel discussion). Guardian Live and Manchester International Festival. 8th July. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://membership.theguardian.com/event/interdependence-we-need-to-talk-32658407175 |
Description | Human Brain Project Open Day 2018, Maastricht |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves contributed to the Human Brain Project Open Day, 15 Oct., 2018 in Maastricht, Netherlands. (https://cyberselves.org/2018/10/18/the-cyberselves-roadshow-in-maastricht-with-the-human-brain-project/) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/follow-hbp/news/hbp-open-day-2018-the-flagship-reaching-the-half... |
Description | Human Brain Project Open Day, 2017 (Glasgow) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow demonstrated robots as part of the University of Sheffield's contribution to the EU Flagship Human Brain Project's Open Day in Glasgow, 17 Oct., 2017. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/follow-hbp/news/a-fun-and-fascinating-open-day-in-glasgow/ |
Description | ICA Fear of Missing Out |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Chaired by Berlin artist and theorist Hito Steyerl, this three-day event at the Institute of Contemporarty Art in London brought together leading international theorists, academics, social thinkers and artists to discuss postdigital anxieties and the social condition. Tony Prescott gave a talk entitled "Human Selves ~ Robot Selves" considering the impact of advanced AI and Robotics technologies on our understanding of the human condition and the potential for robots with self-awareness. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.ica.org.uk/whats-on/fomo-tony-prescott-and-zeno-eleanor-saitta |
Description | ICT 2018: Imagine Digital - Connect Europe |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves attended the ICT 2018: Imagine Digital - Connect Europe conference in Vienna, Austria, 4 - 5 December, 2018, demonstrating robots to 4800 visitors, including many EU policy-makers and related European industry stakeholders. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/events/ict-2018-imagine-digital-connect-europe |
Description | Interview in El Prisma |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview with Spanish language online magazine El Prisma on robots, virtual reality, and other topics related to Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://diarioelprisma.es/construimos-robots-michael-szollosy |
Description | Interview in the Sheffield Telegraph |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview about the Robosapiens film series at the Showroom Cinema, Sheffield, and about Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies more generally. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/what-s-on/cinema/reality-of-movie-nightmares-1-7687555 |
Description | Jisc Connect More, London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Connect More is a series of events designed to help you enhance learning and teaching through the use of technology. These are key events in the academic calendar for learning and teaching practitioners and you'll leave equipped with a host of new ideas to put into practice at your organisation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.jisc.ac.uk/events/connect-more-in-england-london-11-jun-2019 |
Description | Jisc Connect More, Scotland |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Connect More is a series of events designed to help you enhance learning and teaching through the use of technology. These are key events in the academic calendar for learning and teaching practitioners and you'll leave equipped with a host of new ideas to put into practice at your organisation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.jisc.ac.uk/events/connect-more-in-scotland-04-jun-2019 |
Description | Jisc DigiFest 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Digifest is the leading UK education technology event for middle and senior-level managers, and those leading change across the further and higher education sectors. The event provided a unique opportunity to see, hear and network with leaders at the forefront of the edtech industry, sharing the latest trends in further and higher education and thinking through an innovative, motivating and challenging agenda of thought-leading keynote sessions, hands-on workshops and lightning talks. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.jisc.ac.uk/events/digifest-12-mar-2019 |
Description | Jon Richardson: Ultimate Worrier on DaveTV |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We recorded a segment for Jon Richardson's Ultimate Worrier, a comedy panel game broadcast on Dave TV. Broadcast first on 14 August, 2019 (and available thereafter on streaming services.) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/jon_richardson_ultimate_worrier/episodes/2/7/ |
Description | Jordan Wolfson, Amsterdam |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Through a glass, darkly; then face to robot face, Talk to a public symposium in honour of the Artist Jordan Wolfson at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, February 18th 2017 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.stedelijk.nl/en/events/jordan-wolfson-sculpture-and-the-surrogate-self-2 |
Description | Macquarie HQ, London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow made a special appearance at Macquarie Group (investment bank) headquarters in London, as part of their Infinity Technology Conference, 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.macquarie.com/ |
Description | Manchester Museum of Science and Industry: Lates, 25 Oct., 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Professor Tony Prescott did a talk, 'Are Friends Electric'? ', on companion robots as part of the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry's Lates Series, 25 Oct., 2017, accompanied by demonstrations of robots. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.scienceandindusstrymuseum.org.uk/what-was-on/robots |
Description | Meet Tomorrow's World: A Meeting on the Ethics of Emerging Technologies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Public Talk, Hannah Maslen. Caveat Emptor: Mind Enhancing machines in your Home. At San Diego Event Meet Tomorrow's World: A Meeting on the Ethics of Emerging Technologies Julian Savulescu participated as panelist. Sparked discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Mindshare Huddle |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | In partnership with behavioural insight and brand consultancy firm Canvas8, we presented a 'Science of Cute' discussion at the Mindshare Huddle 2015, helping media and marketing professionals understand the rational behind the anthropomorphisation of robots and human-robot interactions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.mindshareworld.com/uk/about/huddle |
Description | New Science Live 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow presented a variety of demonstrations at a very large stand at New Scientist Live, an event run by New Scientist Magazine at the Excel Centre London, 28 Sept- 1 Oct, 2017. Our stand was very popular and organisers say that over 30,000 people attended over 4 days. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://youtu.be/bfv-JcyZqmg |
Description | OUPS Talk 2020 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Live talk (by video call) to the Open University Psychology Society's Meeting on Technology and Psychology |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.oups.org.uk/recordings-presentations/technology-and-psychology-loups-conference-2020 |
Description | Out of This World, 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow demonstrated robots (on sci-fi/Halloween theme) at the Sheffield Out of This World Festival at Sheffield Town Hall, 29 Oct., 2017. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://sheffieldnewsroom.co.uk/news/thousands-expected-at-city-centre-halloween-extravaganza/ |
Description | Outreach to Monmouth and Newport |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves Roadshow travelled to Wales to visit students at Monmouth Comprehensive School and Obsaston Primary School, and then to Newport to meet a club for autistic children and a general audience at the Newport Riverside Theatre. 11 December 2018 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://cyberselves.org/2019/01/04/cyberselves-roadshow-goes-to-wales/ |
Description | PI: Platform for Investigation (Our Robot Friends) Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, 20 Jan., 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow offered engaging hands-on demonstrations and talks at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry's PI: Platform for Investigation series, called Our Robot Friends. Organisers estimated that we saw and spoke to around 1100 people that day. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/platform-for-investigation |
Description | Panel discussion at Barbican Centre, London. AI and Creativity: What Makes us Human? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A panel discussion: Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League and MIT media lab researcher, Anders Sandberg of the Future of the Human Institute at Oxford, artist Anna Ridler and Sheffield Robotics' Michael Szollosy join Matthew Sweet and an audience at the Barbican to debate whether creativity is something uniquely human. AI: More Than Human runs at the Barbican Gallery until August 26th 2019. Part of a week-long focus Free Thinking the Future. You can find more interviews and discussions to download and catch up with on the playlist on our website https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03zwn4d |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0005nml |
Description | Prince's Trust Gala |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended the Prince's Trust Gala Dinner at the Tower of London, 11 June, 2018, to open London Tech Week. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://tmt.knect365.com/london-tech-week-opening-dinner/ |
Description | QITCOM 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | We were invited by the British Embassy, Doha, and the Department of Industry and Trade, to exhibit our technologies at the British Embassy stand at QITCOM 2019 in Doha. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://qitcom.qa/ |
Description | Revo City, Manchester, 18 - 20 Sept., 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended the Revo Conference and Exhibition at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, demonstrating robots as part of Revo City, a peek at what the integrated marketplace of 2030 will look like. 18 - 20 Sept., 2018 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.revocommunity.org/revo_liverpool_2019__conference_exhibition__17_-_19_september |
Description | RoboHub |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Two blogs (Dreaming Robots and one run for the AHRC_funded Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies project) have be noted and picked up by international blog RoboHub, with wide international audience. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
URL | http://robohub.org/ |
Description | Robosapiens |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Robosapiens is a film series that focusses on cultural representations and ideas of robots, virtual reality and cyberselves in film. Undertaken with money provided by the AHRC-funded Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies project, each month (form September 2015) the Showroom cinema in Sheffield hosts an evening screening of a film selected and introduced by an academic or expert in the field of robotics, virtual reality or other new technology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
URL | http://www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/robosapiens |
Description | Robosapiens Film Series |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A monthly series of Science Fiction films, presented with the Showroom cinema in Sheffield, each introduced by an academic working on the science, engineering or cultural aspects of related technologies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
URL | http://sheffield.ac.uk/ris/publicengagement/robosapiens |
Description | Robotics in Paediatrics Showcase |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended NHS Sheffield Children's Hospital to demonstrate how robots can transform children's health care in the future. 14 February 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Robots Family Playground, Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, 21 - 22 Oct., 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves Roadshow offered demonstrations of robots and discussions with the public at the Robots exhibit at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, 21 - 22 Oct., 2017. Organisers estimate we spoke to 9000 people over the two days. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/what-was-on/robots |
Description | Robots Revealed, Science Museum London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We presented robots to the public at the Science Museum in London, accompanying their Robots exhibit on 25 March and 12 & 13 April, 2017. The Science Museum public engagement team estimates we spoke to 6900 people over the 3 days. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/what-was-on/robots |
Description | SERAI Launch Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves attended the launch of a report (to which we contributed) on Skills and Education in Robotics and AI (SERAI) at Mercer Tower, London. 28 January 2019 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://cyberselves.org/2019/01/30/serai-launch-review/ |
Description | School outreach |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Outreach to local schools, demonstrating robots and their educational possibilities. Undetaken through both EASEL and (AHRC-funded) Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
Description | Science in Public 17: Question Time |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Our provided demonstrations and our robots took part in the discussions at a Question Time-styled panel discussion/debate in front of a live audience, hosted by BBC's Adam Rutherford and held at Sheffield Town Hall. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://dreamingrobotsblog.wordpress.com/2017/07/17/what-if-a-robot-ran-for-office/ |
Description | Sensoria 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We brought and programmed a robot to do a talk introducing a screening of the film Metropolis at Magna science museum in Rotherham, 1 Oct. 2017. (Attdence according to organisers was 250.) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.sensoria.org.uk/events/factory-floor-live-soundtrack-to-fritz-langs-metropolis/ |
Description | SensoriaPro, 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Cyberselves demonstrated some robots and teleoperation technology at SensoriaPro, an 'informal gathering of composers, filmmakers, music publishers, music supervisors, games developers and festivals all under one roof to discuss the latest innovations in music and the moving image.' Held at Trafalgar Warehouse, Sheffield, 5 Oct., 2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.sensoria.org.uk/sensoriapro-2018/ |
Description | Sheffield DocFest Alternate Realities Summit |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | A talk given by Michael Szollosy and Tony Prescott at the Sheffield International Documentary film festival |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://sheffdocfest.com/articles/386-2016-alternate-realities-summit |
Description | Sheffield Museums Lates: Science of Sci-Fi |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended the Science of Sci-Fi, part of Sheffield Museums' Lates Series. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/whats-on/events/2018/11/halloween-late-the-science-of-science-fi... |
Description | Software Garden, Block Universe, London |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Our robots (and research team) helped Rory Pilgrim stage his multimedia performance artwork, Software Garden, at The Light in London, as part of the 2017 Block Universe Festival. We performed the work on 3 June, 2017, having had rehearsals in the lead-up to the performance. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://blockuniverse.co.uk/software-garden/ |
Description | Software Garden, Festival of the Mind |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A second collaboration (having performed a different version of the piece at Block Universe in 2017), Software Garden saw the Cyberselves team working with Rory Pilgrim and Sheffield poet Carol Kallend, looking at the connection between technology, disability and care. Performed on 29 & 30 Sept., 2018 in The Spiegeltent, Sheffield. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://festivalofthemind.group.shef.ac.uk/4351-2/ |
Description | Swansea Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | We attended the Swansea Science Festival, hosted by Swansea University, and invited by Nesta. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.swansea.ac.uk/research/in-the-community/swansea-science-festival/ |
Description | Talk at from Robots: From Imagination to Market |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A talk on the history of robotics, including cultural influences and social perceptions, in Bristol as part of the EU Robotics Week. The days' discussions were themed around 'Robots: from Imagination to Market', and my talk was the first of the day, to contextualise the way in which robots are created and perceived in the imagination. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/robots-from-imagination-to-market-tickets-19205164163 |
Description | Talk to Policy, Ethics, and Life Sciences (PEALS) Research Centre, Newcastle University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Michael Szollosy gave a talk to the PEALS Research Centre at Newcastle University as part of their 20th-anniversary lecture series. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | TelFest 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | We presented some of technologies in Innovation Corner at TelFest, the University of Sheffield's learning and teaching technologies event, where we demonstrated our ideas and suggested ways that they might be useful in post-secondary teaching. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/telfest |
Description | TelFest IC |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Sheffield Robotics and the AHRC-funded Cyberselves in Immersive Technologies project helped organise and present the very popular Innovation Corner at the University of Sheffield's Technology Enhanced Learning Festival (TELFest), where new technologies (particularly robotics and virtual reality) were demonstrated and explained to educational professionals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/cics/telfest/programme-sept-2015 |
Description | The Conversation piece on the film "Ghost in the Shell" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | My article "Ghost in the Shell thrills but ducks the philosophical questions posed by a cyborg future" considered ideas from the movie in the context of contemporary developments in robotics and AI. The article was reprinted by Newsweek, The Independent, and others, reaching an international audience of 90,000 people. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://theconversation.com/ghost-in-the-shell-thrills-but-ducks-the-philosophical-questions-posed-b... |
Description | The Hindu-Your Next Best Friend Could be a Robot |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A short article by Professor Tony Prescott on robot as social companions was published by "The Hindu", one of India's leading newspapers on the 23rd June 2017 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/can-a-robot-be-your-next-best-friend/article19133908.ece |
Description | UK Robotics School Challenge launch |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The UK Schools Robotics Competition is an annual competition for 8 - 14 year olds, to encourage them to engage in STEM activities and think about robotics. It is sponsored by the UK-RAS network, and receives national press attention. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.ukras.org/school-robot-competition/ |
Description | nesta's FutureFest |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The Cyberselves Roadshow attended nesta's FutureFest at Tobacco Docks, London, 6 & 7 April, 2018, where we spoke (in addition to the other approximately 4000 delegates) First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, TV presenter and author Ruby Max, and recorded segments for a number of media outlets and (international) shows, including Radio 5 Live's Suzi Perry. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.futurefest.org/ |