From August 11 to 14, 2026, the Robophilosophy Conference 2026 will take place at University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland, under the theme „Connected Futures – Nature, Robots, and Society“. The conference will bring together researchers from philosophy, robotics, artificial intelligence, ethics, law, and the environmental and social sciences to discuss the evolving relationship between intelligent technologies, the natural world, and society. One of the conference highlights is Session 2, „Environmental Robotics and Society“, scheduled on the first day from 2:10 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. The session will open with Janko Munjić’s presentation, „Posthuman Victims in the Anthropocene: Environmental Social Robots, Layered Harm, and the Edges of Criminal Law“, which examines legal and ethical questions surrounding environmental social robots. Oliver Bendel will then present „Towards a Discipline of Animal-Machine Interaction: Ethical and Design Challenges of Machines in Animal Habitats“, exploring the emerging field of interactions between machines and animals. Catherine F. Botha’s talk, „Ecobots and Ecological Capabilities: Ethical Reflections on Robots as Functional Ecological Agents“, will consider the ethical implications of robots acting as ecological agents. The session will conclude with „Aerial Robotics in Society: Energy, Ethics, and Accountability for Sustainable Monitoring“, presented by Ghulam E. Mustafa Abro and Johanna Seibt, addressing the societal, ethical, and sustainability aspects of aerial robotic systems. For more information about the conference and the full program, please visit www.rp2026.org/.
Fig.: Oliver Bendel with a teddy bear from the HUGGIE Project (Photo: Jork Weismann)
„Wearable Social Robots sind sehr kleine und sehr leichte soziale Roboter, die um den Hals, auf dem Kopf, am Körper oder an der Kleidung bzw. an oder in einer Tasche getragen werden können. Sie sind oftmals mit entsprechenden Befestigungselementen ausgestattet, etwa Halsketten, Seilschlaufen und Metallplatten.“ Mit diesen Worten beginnt ein Beitrag von Oliver Bendel, der am 24. Juni 2026 im Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon erschienen ist. Auf weitere einführende Aussagen folgen die Abschnitte „Hintergrund und Beispiele“, „Einsatzmöglichkeiten“ und „Kritik und Ausblick“. Zu den Einsatzmöglichkeiten wird gesagt: „Wearable Social Robots dienen als Spielzeug und Lernwerkzeug oder als Companion Robot bzw. Pet Robot, wobei Kinder, Jugendliche oder Erwachsene angesprochen werden. Man kann sich von ihnen bespaßen lassen und von oder mit ihnen lernen. Sie mögen verlässliche Bezugspunkte darstellen und Stress und Einsamkeit reduzieren.“ Davor heißt es: „Beispiele für Wearable Social Robots mit festem Gehäuse sind AIBI (LivingAI) und Eiliko (Energize Lab). Ein Fell haben Moflin (Casio), Cupboo AI Robotic Pet (Genmoor Group) und Mirumi (Yukai Engineering).“ Es deutet alles darauf hin, dass in den nächsten Monaten und Jahren noch zahlreiche weitere Wearable Social Robots auf den Markt kommen. Der vollständige Beitrag kann über wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/definition/wearable-social-robots-177953 aufgerufen werden.
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. This year’s conference combines cutting-edge research in social robotics with a unique focus on artistic and creative applications of robotics. One of the highlights of the conference will be ARGOS, a performance staged on 3 July 2026 at Senate House in London. Rooted in Homer’s „Odyssey“, ARGOS reimagines the return of Odysseus after twenty years of war, recognized only by his faithful dog, here embodied by a real robot dog. The performance explores trust, intimacy, error, vulnerability, and the ethics of human-robot relationships. Developed as part of the Creative Robotics Theatre research initiative, ARGOS is a collaboration between the University of the Arts London, the University of Leeds, the Cyprus University of Technology, and CYENS. Directed by George Rodosthenous and produced by Hooman Samani, the project demonstrates how robotics and theatre can come together to inspire new reflections on technology and human connection. Further information is available at hoomansamani.com/creative-robotics/creative-robotic-theatre/argos/.
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. This year’s conference combines cutting-edge research in social robotics with a unique focus on artistic and creative applications of robotics. One of the highlights of the conference will be the debate programme on 2 July 2026, which promises a day of lively discussions on some of the most important questions shaping social robotics, society, and the arts. The debates will explore themes ranging from education and healthcare to fashion, human-robot interaction research, and the future of the human body, bringing together researchers, practitioners, artists, and technologists from diverse backgrounds. Combining critical reflection with creative provocation, the programme encourages participants to rethink what social robots can be, what roles they might play, and how they may transform our societies in the future. And who says debates are only for humans? The programme even includes a social robot that will have the opportunity to answer back. Those interested in the full range of debate topics and participants can find further information at icsr2026.uk/debates/.
Fig.: Euclid will be there for the debate (Photo: ICSR)
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. The preliminary programme, now available, offers four days of scientific exchange, artistic exploration, and community building, featuring keynote lectures, paper presentations, special sessions, workshops, debates, a Grand Challenge, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. Reflecting the conference theme ICSR + Art, the programme highlights the growing intersections between social robotics and creative practice through events such as the Robot Fringe Festival, the Rising Stars in Social Robotics event, the premiere performance of Quantwin by Silke Grabinger, the 1001 Nights with Robots Show, Argos, and the Robot Fashion Show, while also covering the full breadth of contemporary social robotics research. Participants will have opportunities to engage with leading experts from academia, industry, healthcare, design, the arts, and other fields. Full details of the programme are available at icsr2026.uk/programme/.
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1-4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. Hosted at the University of London, this year’s conference is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help deliver a dynamic international event at the intersection of robotics, society, and the arts. Volunteering offers a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in organizing a major academic conference, connect with global experts, artists, and innovators, attend selected sessions showcasing cutting-edge developments in social robotics, and build essential organizational, communication, and teamwork skills. Ideal for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as motivated individuals interested in social robotics or related fields, volunteer responsibilities include supporting registration, assisting with session coordination, guiding attendees, helping with technical presentations and demonstrations, and contributing to general event logistics. In return, volunteers will receive free conference access, a certificate of participation, and exceptional networking opportunities with leading professionals in the field. Applications are open now, with priority given to reliable candidates available throughout the full conference period and comfortable working in an international environment. The deadline to apply is 31 May 2026, with successful applicants notified in early June, and early applications are strongly encouraged. The application form and additional information can be found at: icsr2026.uk/volunteer/.
The paper „Kiss Me More: Artificial Lips for Intimate Encounters“ by Oliver Bendel has been accepted at ICSR + Art 2026. Kisses have different functions and meanings depending on culture, context, and partner; they can serve as a greeting, express gratitude, or be part of sexual interaction. When partners are separated but still wish to show affection, teledevices can offer a solution. Since 2011, several prototypes and products for remote kissing have been developed, including the Kissenger, a prototype created by Hooman Samani, to which the present work also pays tribute. Although these systems are already conceptually and technically advanced, there is still room for further development, especially with regard to intimacy and sexuality. The paper therefore formulates specific requirements and outlines possible implementations, resulting in the concept of the KissMachine, which is critically discussed with respect to its technical challenges and ethical implications. The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics.
Fig.: An illustration of the KissMachine (not part of the paper) (Image: GPT Image 2)
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. The finalists of the ICSR 2026 Grand Challenge have now been announced, showcasing an exciting and diverse range of innovative projects from researchers, artists, and interdisciplinary teams across the globe. This year’s finalists represent institutions from Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia, reflecting the international and creative spirit of the competition. The selected teams will present their work during the first day of the conference on 1 July 2026, with the results and awards to be announced on 3 July 2026. Finalists will also have the optional opportunity to demonstrate their projects during the conference. To support participation in the competition, ICSR offers a special reduced registration rate through the Grand Challenge Competition Finalists Pass, which grants access to the full conference; at least one registration per team is required, and each attendee must hold an individual registration. Further details regarding presentations and demonstrations will be communicated directly to finalists via email. For questions related to the ICSR Grand Challenge, participants may contact Prof. Laura Fiorini at laura.fiorini@unifi.it. A full list of finalists and additional information can be found at: icsr2026.uk/competition-finalists/.
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. As part of the conference programme, ICSR Industry Day will offer a dynamic platform connecting research and industry through a panel debate, a UKRI-led workshop, and a pitch session showcasing emerging robotics start-ups. A key highlight will be the panel discussion „There’s No Place Like Home: Exploring the Next Frontier for Social Robots“, taking place on Friday, 3 July from 2.30-4.00 pm. Bringing together leading voices from industry, the session will examine the growing interest in domestic environments as the next major market for social robotics. While companies increasingly envision robots supporting household tasks, personalised assistance, ageing-in-place, and companionship, the home presents unique challenges as a deeply personal and unpredictable setting where trust, privacy, and reliability are essential. Drawing on firsthand experience in deploying consumer robots, the panellists will discuss both the opportunities and the obstacles of integrating robots into everyday domestic life, addressing issues such as surveillance, dependency, social acceptance, and design limitations. The panel will feature Ira Renfrew, Co-Founder and Chief People Product Officer at Familiar Machines & Magic; Shunsuke Aoki, Founder of Yukai Engineering; Craig Allen, former Chief Creative Officer at Embodied (now Moxie Robots); and Samuel Ader, VP Growth & Supply at Cera (Genie Connect). The discussion will be moderated by Elizabeth Jochum. Together, the speakers will explore how thoughtful, human-centred innovation can help social robots earn a meaningful place in people’s homes and daily lives. Further information and registration details for the Industry Day panel are available at: icsr2026.uk/industry-day/.
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. This year’s conference will feature three distinguished keynote speakers whose work is shaping the future of artificial intelligence, robotics, and human-robot interaction. Hatice Gunes, Professor of Affective Intelligence and Robotics at the University of Cambridge, is internationally recognised for her pioneering research on affective computing, multimodal intelligence, and socially aware AI systems, with a strong emphasis on ethics, fairness, and wellbeing in robotics. Jean Oh, Associate Research Professor at Carnegie Mellon University and Director of the roBot Intelligence Group, is known for her work on collaborative robots, social navigation, and creative physical AI, focusing on developing robots that learn, adapt, and work safely alongside humans in shared environments. Nicolas Heess, Research Scientist and Director at Google DeepMind, leads cutting-edge research on general-purpose robotics and embodied AI, exploring how advances in machine learning, perception, and motor control can bring intelligent robots into the physical world. Together, these keynote speakers represent the forefront of research and innovation driving the next generation of social robotics. Further information on the keynote programme is available at: icsr2026.uk/keynote/.
For the first time, students in the elective module „Social Robots“, held from March 30 to April 1, 2026 at the FHNW School of Business, were introduced by Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel to the idea that robot design is not limited to object-like, humanoid, and animal-like (zoomorphic) forms, but also includes mythomorphic design. Mythomorphic design refers to the creation of robots, especially social robots, inspired by figures from myth, fantasy, and science fiction rather than by real humans or animals. Such designs typically combine recognizable anthropomorphic features with deliberate deviations that signal otherness, for example through unusual morphology, narrative embedding, or symbolic attributes. Examples include the Mirokaï models such as Miroka and Miroki, as well as classics like Furby. Several publications by Oliver Bendel on this topic are forthcoming and will be published in 2026 and 2027.
Vor der Mittagspause des 31. März 2026 hielt Luca Marie Leisten im Wahlmodul „Soziale Roboter“ an der Hochschule für Wirtschaft FHNW in Olten den Gastvortrag. Sie ist Doktorandin im Bereich Lernwissenschaften und Mensch-Roboter-Interaktion an der ETH Zürich und der EPFL. Mit ihrem Hintergrund in Psychologie und Sozialwissenschaften konzentriert sich ihre Forschung auf soziale Roboter im Bildungsbereich. Konkret interessiert sich Luca für die Hindernisse und Chancen beim Einsatz sozialer Roboter sowie für die Wahrnehmung verschiedener Roboter. In diesem Zusammenhang untersucht Luca die langfristigen Auswirkungen erschwinglicher DIY-Robotik-Bausätze unter Verwendung von quantitativen und qualitativen Methoden, um die KI-Fähigkeiten von Kindern zu stärken. Die Studierenden und der Dozent, Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel, hatten danach viele Fragen zu ihrer Arbeit und ihrer Karriere. Sie erhielt zweimal tosenden Applaus. Das Wahlmodul wird seit 2021 durchgeführt, inzwischen dreimal im Jahr. Zum ersten Mal wird es für Studierende des Studiengangs Business AI angeboten.
The elective module „Soziale Roboter“ by Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel will be held again from March 30 to April 1, 2026, at FHNW in Olten. It is primarily aimed at prospective business AI students, but students of information systems can also take part. Luca Marie Leisten has been invited as a guest speaker. She is a third-year doctoral student in learning sciences and human-robot interaction at ETHZ and EPFL. With a background in psychology and social sciences, Luca’s research focuses on social robot companions in the learning domain. Specifically, she is interested in investigating the barriers and opportunities of social robot deployment as well as the perception of different robots. In this context, Luca is testing the long-term effects of affordable DIY robotic toolkits using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. Unitree Go2, Alpha Mini, Cozmo, Vector, AIBI, Eilik, Furby, Booboo, and Hugvie from Oliver Bendel’s private Social Robots Lab will also be on site. Social Robotics Girl, a so-called GPT specializing in this topic, will be available as a tutor throughout the event. Key works include „Soziale Roboter“ (2021) and „300 Keywords Soziale Robotik“ (2021). At the end of the elective module, students design social robots – also with the help of generative AI – that they find useful, meaningful, or simply attractive. The elective module has been offered since 2021 and is very popular at the university.
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)
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1-4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. For its 18th edition, the conference will present the special theme ICSR + Art, highlighting how robots can move beyond their conventional roles to become tools, partners, and co-creators within artistic and creative practices. At the same time, the conference remains open to the full breadth of social robotics research, including human-robot interaction, medical and assistive robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, ethics, design, education, and cultural applications. Accepted papers will be published in Springer’s Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence (LNAI) series and indexed in major academic databases. The conference programme will encompass regular papers, short papers, special sessions, a design and art competition, debates, the Robot Fringe live performance strand, and an Industry Day dedicated to emerging robotics and technology companies. Regular Papers for the main track must follow the submission guidelines provided on the conference website and be submitted via the Springer Meteor system by 6 March 2026. Contributions to Special Sessions should likewise follow the Regular Paper instructions and be submitted to the respective session. Short Papers must comply with the specific Short Paper guidelines and be submitted accordingly. The ICSR Design / Art Competition, proposals for debates, and submissions for the Robot Fringe live robotic performance programme are due by 15 March 2026. Early-stage robotics and technology companies wishing to showcase their work at the Industry Day may apply until 15 May 2026. Further details, submission instructions, and relevant links are available at icsr2026.uk.
The elective module „Soziale Roboter aus technischer, wirtschaftlicher und ethischer Sicht“ („Social Robots from a Technical, Economic, and Ethical Perspective“) led by Oliver Bendel took place from February 12 to 14, 2026 at the FHNW in Brugg-Windisch. It is primarily designed for prospective business economists, although students of information systems are also welcome to participate. Dr. Amol Deshmukh joined the module once again as a guest speaker. In his presentation, „Improving Hand Hygiene in Schools with Socially Assistive Robots“, he outlined his research at the intersection of social robotics, artificial intelligence, and human behavior. Dr. Deshmukh is a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Research Fellow at ETH Zurich and is known for adapting human-robot interaction to global and resource-constrained contexts. His work has attracted international media attention for its emphasis on tangible societal impact. In his talk, he explored how social robots can encourage hand hygiene in schools, addressing both cultural and socio-economic dimensions of implementing such technologies. A range of robots from Oliver Bendel’s private Social Robots Lab were available on site, including Unitree Go2, Alpha Mini, Cozmo, Vector, AIBI, Furby, Booboo, and Hugvie. At the conclusion of the elective module, students designed their own social robots – supported in part by generative AI – focusing on concepts they considered useful, meaningful, or simply appealing. The elective modules have been offered since 2021 and continue to enjoy great popularity.
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. As part of the conference program, Robot Fringe 2026 offers a dedicated platform for experimental, daring, and imaginative ideas, presented on a performance stage within the supportive and inclusive environment of ICSR+ART 2026 (icsr2026.uk/robot-fringe/). Drawing inspiration from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – the world’s largest performing arts festival and the origin of a global tradition of fringe and off-festivals celebrating unconventional and small-scale performances (www.edfringe.com) – Robot Fringe embraces creative risk-taking and non-traditional formats across artistic and technological practices. The variety show will take place on the evening of Thursday 2 July at Senate House in London and runs in conjunction with ICSR+ART 2026. The program is curated and hosted by researcher-comedians Heather Knight and Piotr Mirowski. Further information and submission details are available via the ICSR submission page (icsr2026.uk/submission/) and the Robot Fringe website (www.robotfringe.com).
The article „Small Talk with a Robot Reduces Stress and Improves Mood“ by Katharina Kühne, Antonia L. Z. Klöffel, Oliver Bendel, and Martin H. Fischer was published on December 23, 2025. It is part of the volume „Social Robotics + AI: 17th International Conference, ICSR+AI 2025, Naples, Italy, September 10–12, 2025, Proceedings, Part III.“ From the abstract: „Research has demonstrated that social support is crucial in mitigating stress and enhancing mood. Not only do long-term, meaningful relationships contribute to well-being, but everyday social interactions, such as small talk, also offer psychological benefits. As social robots increasingly become more integrated into daily life, they present a potential avenue for stress interventions. In our online study, 98 participants underwent a stress induction using the Stroop task and were then assigned to one of three conditions: engaging in scripted small talk with a simulated NAO robot online, listening to a neutral story told by the same NAO robot, or no intervention (control condition). Results indicate that both interventions effectively reduced stress, with a tendency towards a stronger effect in the Small talk condition. Small talk not only helped maintain positive affect but also reduced negative affect. Notably, the benefits were more pronounced among individuals experiencing higher acute stress following the stress induction, but were less evident in those with chronically elevated stress levels. Furthermore, the effect of the intervention on stress reduction was mediated by changes in positive affect. These findings suggest that small talk with a social robot may serve as a promising tool for stress reduction and affect regulation.“ The first author, a researcher from the University of Potsdam, presented the paper on September 12, 2025, in Naples. It can be downloaded from link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-95-2398-6_1.
The paper „The Universal Robot of the 21st Century“ by Oliver Bendel was published in February 2025 in the proceedings volume „Social Robots with AI: Prospects, Risks, and Responsible Methods“ … From the abstract: „Developments in several areas of computer science, robotics, and social robotics make it seem likely that a universal robot will be available in the foreseeable future. Large language models for communication, perception, and control play a central role in this. This article briefly outlines the developments in the various areas and uses them to create the overall image of the universal robot. It then discusses the associated challenges from an ethical and social science perspective. It can be said that the universal robot will bring with it new possibilities and will perhaps be one of the most powerful human tools in physical space. At the same time, numerous problems are foreseeable, individual, social, and ecological.“ The proceedings volume comprises the papers presented at Robophilosophy 2024 in Aarhus. Leading philosophers, computer scientists and roboticists met there in August. Like the ICSR, the conference is one of the world’s leading conferences on social robotics. General-purpose robots, the predecessors of universal robots, have now become widespread, as exemplified by Digit, Apollo, and Figure 03. The author accepted manuscript of this article is therefore being made freely available on this site for non-commercial use only and with no derivatives, in line with the publisher’s self-archiving policy.
Abb.: Ein malender Roboter bei der Biennale Architettura 2025
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1–4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. The conference has now opened its submission system, and full details can be found on the official ICSR 2026 submission page (icsr2026.uk/submission). Authors are invited to submit to a range of categories. Regular Papers for the Main Track should follow the guidelines provided on the conference website and be submitted by 15 February 2026. Special Session submissions follow the same Regular Paper instructions but are directed to individual sessions listed on the Special Sessions page. Short Papers follow their own dedicated instructions and are submitted through the same system. Competitions and Debates each have their own portals, with submissions due by 1 March 2026. Additional tracks such as the Robot Fringe and Travel Grants will be announced soon. All submission links and instructions are clearly detailed on the ICSR 2026 submission page, ensuring authors have everything they need to prepare their contributions for this major event in social robotics.
Fig.: The Senate House (Photo: University of London)
The Robophilosophy Conference 2026 will take place August 11–14 at University College Dublin in a hybrid format and centers on the theme „Connected Futures: Nature, Robots, and Society“. As robotics and AI become deeply embedded in human life, the conference invites researchers across disciplines to explore how autonomous systems shape society, ecology, law, labor, and human self-understanding. It raises questions about responsible design, accountability, environmental impact, social justice, cultural perspectives, and the ethics of coexistence with artificial agents. Workshop proposals are due January 16, session papers and posters February 6, with notifications in February and April and proceedings pre-submission on June 15. RP2026 aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue that advances both technological insight and collective wisdom for a future in which humans and autonomous systems share social and ecological worlds. Further information is available at cas.au.dk/en/rpc2026.
Fig.: University College Dublin (Foto: Sharonlflynn, CC BY-SA 4.0)
The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) will take place in London, UK, from 1-4 July 2026. ICSR is the leading international forum that brings together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from across disciplines to advance the field of social robotics. As part of this edition, ICSR 2026 will host a series of live debates in the Debate Room (Senate Room), addressing pressing questions about social robots in society and culture. Debate proposals may focus on conceptual, ethical, scientific, artistic, practical, or societal aspects of social robotics and should connect broadly to the conference topics listed aticsr2026.uk/topics/. Submissions are open to contributors from social robotics, HRI, the arts, design, engineering, the humanities, and related areas, with interdisciplinary proposals particularly encouraged. Formats may include two-sided or multi-position debates, panel discussions, performative debates, or audience-engaged formats. In a nod to British debating traditions, participants are encouraged to wear academic gowns. Proposals are submitted viaicsr2026.uk/debate-proposal, with a submission deadline of 1 March 2026 and notification of acceptance by 15 April 2026.
