Docentship lecture - Katie Winkle: "Designing Robots, Designing Society"
- Date
- 22 October 2025, 13:15–14:00
- Location
- Ångström Laboratory, room 101158
- Type
- Docent trial lecture
- Lecturer
- Katie Winkle
- Organiser
- Department of Information Technology; Vi3; Human Machine Interaction
- Contact person
- Katie Winkle
he Department of Information Technology hereby invites all interested parties to a docentship lecture by Katie Winkle, specialising in Human-Computer Interaction.
Chairperson: Professor Mike Hazas
Representative of the Docentship Committee: Professor Natasa Sladoje
Abstract: What can we, designers, developers, roboticists do to avoid those robot-fuelled dystopias we see in the movies? In this lecture, we’ll explore how designing robots – particularly their interaction behaviours – is also an act of designing society. We’ll begin by unpacking the idea of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) as futuring, discussing the ways in which HRI work encodes and amplifies particular sociotechnical imaginaries. Then, we’ll talk about speculative design as a creative tool for diversifying the kinds of human-machine futures we imagine. Finally, we’ll look at practical ways to refresh “everyday” HRI practice when working with near-future scenarios: small methodological tweaks that can help us critically reflect on our assumptions and better design robots that support human flourishing.
The lecture is an obligatory teaching test for those applying for admittance as docent and it should be possible for students and others with basic academic education in the relevant field to follow it. The lecture lasts 40-45 minutes with subsequent discussion.
The lecture will be given in English. Welcome!