Die Robophilosophy ist neben der ICSR die vielleicht wichtigste Konferenz, wenn es um philosophische und soziale Aspekte in der Sozialen Robotik geht. Der Begriff der Roboterphilosophie wird unterschiedlich verstanden. Während die Organisatoren ihn auf die Soziale Robotik beziehen, hat ihn Oliver Bendel – Technikphilosoph und Betreiber der Plattform robophilosophy.com – gegenüber der Robotik insgesamt geöffnet, bezieht also z.B. auch ontologische, ästhetische und ethische Aspekte der Industrierobotik und der Servicerobotik mit ein. Die Robophilosophy ist eine Biennale, die zuletzt in Aarhus und Helsinki stattfand. Dieses Mal trifft man sich vom 11. bis 14. August 2026 in Dublin. Am Nachmittag des ersten Tags wird Session 2 zu „Environmental Robotics and Society“ durchgeführt, mit Oliver Bendel als Chair. Janko Munjić referiert zum Thema „Posthuman Victims in the Anthropocene: Environmental Social Robots, Layered Harm, and the Edges of Criminal Law“. Oliver Bendel selbst hält den Vortrag „Towards a Discipline of Animal-Machine Interaction: Ethical and Design Challenges of Machines in Animal Habitats“. Es folgen Catherine F. Botha mit „Ecobots and Ecological Capabilities: Ethical Reflections on Robots as Functional Ecological Agents“ und Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro and Johanna Seibt mit „Aerial Robotics in Society: Energy, Ethics, and Accountability for Sustainable Monitoring“. Parallel findet Session 1 zu „Responsible Technology Development“ statt, mit Sun Park als Chair. Zu den Vortragenden gehört Katharina Kühne, die das Paper „No Red Romance for Robots? Investigating the Red Attraction Effect in Humanlike Robots“ von E. L. M. Waller, Diana P. Edenburger, Oliver Bendel, Martin H. Fischer und Katharina Kühne vorstellt.
Oliver Bendel’s paper „Towards a Discipline of Animal-Machine Interaction“ has been accepted for presentation at Robophilosophy 2026. The renowned conference on the philosophical aspects of social robotics has been held since 2014 and will take place in Dublin this year. Autonomous and semi-autonomous machines such as robots and drones are increasingly moving into natural and urban environments, leading to a growing number of interactions between animals and machines and raising corresponding new ethical and conceptual challenges. This article proposes animal-machine interaction (AMI) as a distinct discipline concerned with the design and governance of machines that encounter animals. After clarifying core concepts and delineating AMI from related fields, the article highlights the role of machine ethics in developing animal-friendly systems. Selected application examples illustrate how machines can support animal survival and well-being, while the ethical discussion addresses both opportunities and risks of technological intervention in animal habitats. It is becoming clear that AMI is an increasingly important field of research, but one that must be constantly reoriented and questioned. Oliver Bendel has participated in the biennial conference series since 2018. That year, he delivered a keynote speech in Vienna alongside Hiroshi Ishiguro, Guy Standing, and Joanna Bryson. His book „Tier-Maschine-Interaktion“ („Animal-Machine Interaction“) was recently published by Springer Gabler.
The Robophilosophy Conference 2026 (RP2026), titled „Connected Futures – Nature, Robots, and Society“, will take place August 11-14, 2026, in Dublin, Ireland, bringing together researchers from across disciplines to examine how robotics and artificial intelligence are reshaping human societies and the natural world. As robotic systems become increasingly embedded in everyday life, the conference aims to foster dialogue between fields ranging from social robotics, computer science, and human-robot interaction to the humanities, social sciences, law, economics, and environmental research. Central questions include how robotic technologies can uphold human dignity and social justice, how legal systems must adapt to autonomous decision-making, and whether robots can contribute to sustainability rather than accelerate ecological decline. The event marks the seventh installment in the Robophilosophy conference series and features plenary speakers such as Lynne Baillie, Ryan Calo, Hideki Kajima, Arno Klein, Bertram Malle, and Shannon Vallor. Importantly, the submission deadline for research papers, posters, and artistic contributions has been extended to March 15, 2026, offering additional time for scholars and practitioners to contribute to this interdisciplinary conversation. Registration is now open, and further details are available at www.rp2026.org.
The Robophilosophy Conference 2026 (RP2026), titled „Connected Futures – Nature, Robots, and Society“, will take place August 11-14, 2026, in Dublin, Ireland, bringing together researchers from across disciplines to examine how robotics and artificial intelligence are reshaping human societies and the natural world. As robotic systems become increasingly embedded in everyday life, the conference aims to foster dialogue between fields ranging from social robotics, computer science, and human-robot interaction to the humanities, social sciences, law, economics, and environmental research. Central questions include how robotic technologies can uphold human dignity and social justice, how legal systems must adapt to autonomous decision-making, and whether robots can contribute to sustainability rather than accelerate ecological decline. The event marks the seventh installment in the Robophilosophy conference series and features plenary speakers such as Lynne Baillie, Ryan Calo, Hideki Kajima, Arno Klein, Bertram Malle, and Shannon Vallor. Importantly, the submission deadline for research papers, posters, and artistic contributions has been extended to March 15, 2026, offering additional time for scholars and practitioners to contribute to this interdisciplinary conversation. Registration will open soon, and further details are available here and at www.rp2026.org.
Fig.: The poster of the conference (Image: Robophilosophy)
