Episode 84: Art and robotics - Steve Benford
Steve Benford, Dunford Professor of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham and co-founder of the Mixed Reality Laboratory, discusses artistic applications of robotics, including the 'Cat Royale' installation and dance collaborations. He explains how working with artists like Blast Theory reveals deeper questions about trust, safety, and the design of robot-environments, challenging standard engineering assumptions about explainable AI and error-free systems. Benford highlights the methodological tensions between scientific iteration and open-ended artistic exploration, arguing that robots must be designed to be 'collidable' and integrated into human spaces rather than kept in invisible cages.