Category: Social Robotics

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Kumo Joins the Social Robots Lab

Since September 2026, a gray Booboo has been part of Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel’s privately funded Social Robots Lab. Alternative names include Boo Boo, BooBoo, and Cupboo AI Robotic Pet. A black Booboo had already been living there since July 2024, but in July 2026 it traveled to the University of Potsdam to spend some time there. Genmoor writes on its website: “Boo Boo is not just a toy. It is also the king of the planet Lonely …” (Genmoor website). According to the manufacturer, Boo Boo’s movements are made possible by a complex control system. “Therefore please be kind to Boo Boo, it is not an ordinary robotic pet. It could give you different responds according to your interaction.” (Genmoor website) Other robots and figures at the Social Robots Lab include Unitree Go2, Alpha Mini, Cozmo, Vector, AIBI, Eiliko, Furby, Tamagotchi, Hugvie, and HUGGIE. NAO and Pepper have also visited repeatedly, as revealed in a 2023 3sat documentary. According to its own description, the Genmoor Group is an “exclusive group for daring futurists who love tech-psychology” (Genmoor website). The company was founded in Hangzhou, China, in 2020. The black Booboo is particularly popular in Oliver Bendel’s elective modules on social robotics. The gray one will introduce itself in February. Student Sushana Yogeswararasah, a former participant, has already named it Kumo – Japanese for “cloud” or “spider”, depending on the context and the characters used.

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A Robot Shaped Like a Duck

Ducks have repeatedly served as models for animal-like automata and robots, particularly in France and Japan. The European country is actually known for its cruel treatment of these animals, but it also seems to have a soft spot for them. Jacques de Vaucanson’s mechanical duck, built in 1738/1739, became famous. Born in Grenoble in 1709, the gifted engineer died in Paris in 1782. Pollen Robotics is based in Bordeaux. The company is now owned by Hugging Face, which is headquartered in Manhattan. With Microduck, it has introduced a compact robot designed as an experimental platform for physical AI and reinforcement learning. Standing around 25 centimeters tall and weighing less than 800 grams, it is comparatively small. Its hardware includes 15 motors, a camera, a LiDAR sensor, two IMUs (sensors that measure acceleration and rotational motion), microphones, and speakers. A movable beak also allows the little duck to grasp small objects. It can walk, sit down, stand up, pick up objects, and perform various movement sequences. It can even glide along on optional inline skates. After a fall, it can get back on its feet independently from a variety of positions. The main focus, however, is not so much on using Microduck as a conventional robotic toy, but rather on experimenting with a learning AI system. Movements and behaviors can first be trained in a simulation and then transferred to the physical robot. This so-called sim-to-real approach enables hands-on experimentation with reinforcement learning and robotics. Pollen Robotics provides the SDK, simulation environment, and reinforcement-learning software as open source. Microduck thus combines a comparatively accessible hardware platform with state-of-the-art methods in AI and robotics research. More information is available at pollen-robotics.com.

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Oliver Bendel Joins the University of Potsdam as Visiting Scholar

Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel of the FHNW School of Business will be a visiting scholar at the University of Potsdam from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027. He considers himself a philosopher of technology, focusing on technology ethics and emerging fields of applied ethics, particularly information ethics, robot ethics, and machine ethics. In information ethics and robot ethics, he takes an empirically informed or empirically grounded approach that remains close to the subject matter. Ethical judgments are preceded by as precise an empirical and technical analysis as possible: The first step is to determine the specific characteristics of a given system, the functions it provides, the data it processes, and the effects it produces. Only on this basis are normative questions concerning issues such as informational autonomy, privacy, responsibility, or well-being examined. Normative claims are not derived from description alone, and empirical findings and normative premises remain clearly distinguishable. In machine ethics, Bendel complements this approach with a constructive-experimental methodology. He develops and tests prototypes himself, including specialized chatbots, voice assistants, and household robots in which moral rules are implemented. Here, construction serves as a method of inquiry: Its initial purpose is to demonstrate whether and how particular moral rules can be operationalized and implemented technically. The resulting artifacts are then systematically examined to reveal the possibilities, limitations, contradictions, and unexpected consequences of their implementation. This creates a feedback loop involving ethical conceptualization, technical construction, empirical testing, and ethical reflection. Overall, this methodology can therefore be characterized as an empirically grounded and constructive-experimental approach to technology ethics and related fields of research. Since 2022, Oliver Bendel has also been an associated researcher with the Potsdam Embodied Cognition Group (PECoG) at the University of Potsdam.

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The Red Attraction Effect

The Robophilosophy 2026 conference took place from August 11–14, 2026, at University College Dublin (UCD) in Dublin, Ireland. Held under the theme “Connected Futures – Nature, Robots, and Society”, the seventh installment of the international conference series brought together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to explore how robotics and artificial intelligence are transforming human societies and the natural world. On the first day of the conference, Katharina Kühne presented the paper “No Red Romance for Robots? Investigating the Red Attraction Effect in Humanlike Robots”, authored by Emma Luisa M. Waller, Diana P. Ebenburger, Oliver Bendel, Martin Fischer, and herself. The study investigates whether the red-attraction effect known from research on human perception also occurs when people evaluate humanlike robots. From the abstract: “The color red has been shown to positively influence ratings of attractiveness and willingness to spend money (e.g., on a date), while having no effect on other perceptions, such as likeability. In an online study, we aimed to conceptually replicate the red-attraction effect using humanoid robots as stimuli. Forty-four heterosexual female participants evaluated 16 images of medium and highly humanlike robots on attractiveness, likeability, trustworthiness, and willingness to spend money to rent the robot. We found no evidence of a red-attraction effect. Female-looking robots received higher ratings overall. These findings have implications for robot design and suggest that basic cues, such as color, may not operate in the same way for robots. Instead, humanoid robots may constitute a distinct category but still be perceived as social agents.” The proceedings, containing all conference papers, are expected to become available in late 2026.

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ICSR + Health 2027 at University of Potsdam

The 19th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Health 2027) will take place in July 2027 in Potsdam, Germany. 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 by the University of Potsdam, ICSR + Health 2027 will provide an international platform for scientific exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation at the intersection of social robotics and health. The conference welcomes researchers, practitioners, industry partners, and students from around the world working in areas such as social robotics, embodied AI, human–robot interaction, cognitive science, healthcare, psychology, rehabilitation, design, ethics, and related disciplines. Participants will have opportunities to present their research, propose workshops or symposia, take part in the Grand Challenge, volunteer, or support the conference as sponsors. The General Chairs are Katharina Kühne of the University of Potsdam and the Potsdam Embodied Cognition Group (PECoG), Ilona Buchem of Berlin University of Applied Sciences (BHT), and Oliver Bendel of the FHNW School of Business (also associated researcher at the PECoG). The General Co-Chair is John-John Cabibihan of Qatar University. Further information, including calls for papers, workshops, the Grand Challenge, volunteering opportunities, sponsorship packages, registration details, and the exact conference dates, will be announced on the conference website: icsr2027.org.

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More Than Emotional Design

Most design is evaluated by how well it solves a problem. But some of the most memorable objects are not designed to maximize efficiency – they are designed to invite a relationship. Oliver Bendel believes this deserves its own name: Relational Object Design. Unlike Emotional Design, which focuses on how a product makes us feel, Relational Object Design focuses on the object itself as a potential relationship partner. Takashi Murakami’s Rumble-kun in a Jar is a beautiful example. The small axolotl-like creature sits quietly inside a transparent jar. It has no function, no movement, and no intelligence, yet it immediately feels alive. Its gentle expression and childlike proportions encourage us to care about it rather than simply look at it. The same philosophy can be found in the work of Yukai Engineering. Products such as Qoobo, Mirumi, and Nekojita FuFu are not primarily tools; they are companions with distinct personalities. Their value lies less in what they accomplish than in the emotional bond they encourage. This perspective also offers an interesting lens on social robotics. Robots such as AIBO, Eiliko, or Paro are often discussed in terms of artificial intelligence and social interaction, but perhaps the deeper question is simpler: what is the minimum amount of design required for a person to perceive an object as a companion? Murakami’s sculpture suggests that the answer may be surprisingly little. Sometimes a peaceful smile is enough.

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Little Blowing Bear

As Publicity Chair of ICSR + Art 2026, Oliver Bendel had the opportunity on the third evening to choose between two gifts, one larger and one smaller. Since he had traveled to London with only carry-on luggage, he opted for the smaller one. When he unpacked the cardboard box back home in Zurich, out popped a little bear. Pressing its stubby tail causes it to blow air through its mouth. In this way, it can cool down hot drinks and hot soups. The philosopher of technology tried it out on his terrace. The little bear blew what seemed like a hole right into his coffee. Its name is, by the way, Nekojita FuFu, and it is – like Qoobo and Mirumi – from Yukai Engineering.T he Berlin Bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin and has adorned the city’s coat of arms for centuries. Just outside Germany’s capital lies Potsdam. The city is best known for its magnificent palaces, beautiful gardens, and its important role in German and European history. It is home to the University of Potsdam as well as several renowned research institutions, including the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics. About 6 kilometers outhwest of Potsdam, in the village of Caputh (part of the municipality of Schwielowsee), stands the Einstein House. The famous physicist had this modest wooden house built in 1929 based on plans by the architect Konrad Wachsmann. Einstein and his family spent their summers there, and he worked there until the end of 1932. The University of Potsdam will host ICSR + Health 2027, where Dr. Katharina Kühne and the Potsdam Embodied Cognition Group (PECoG) will welcome the community with open arms. Incidentally, Potsdam’s coat of arms features a red eagle on a silver field (Photo: Yukai Engineering).

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Registration Opens for LSR 2026

Registration for the 11th International Congress on Love and Sex with Robots (LSR 2026) is now open. Building on a conference series that began in 2011 and has helped establish the academic study of human-robot intimacy as an interdisciplinary field, LSR 2026 will take place on August 21–22 at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), with sessions hosted in the Pavillon J.A. DeSève in Montreal’s Latin Quarter. The conference is organized by Dr. Simon Dubé (Kinsey Institute, Indiana University Bloomington), Dr. David Levy, founder of the conference series, and Bobbi Bidochka (imagine ideation). The keynote speakers are Ellen M. Kaufman (Kinsey Institute, Indiana University Bloomington), Charlotte Poitras (multidisciplinary artist), and Valerie A. Lapointe (Université du Québec à Montréal), whose work spans informatics, psychology, media, and emerging technologies related to intimacy and AI. Further information on registration, the program, submissions, travel, and accommodation is available on the official conference website: www.lovewithrobots.com.

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Playboy Interview on Chatbots, Love Dolls, and Sex Robots

At the end of July 2025, Playboy interviewed Prof. Dr. Oliver Bendel about relationships with chatbots, love dolls, and sex robots. The Playboy Special Edition was published in conjunction with the exhibition SEX NOW, which ran from September 5, 2025, to May 3, 2026. Beginning on September 11, 2025, the German magazine was available at the NRW-Forum Düsseldorf. It is visually stunning and delights readers with its playful and engaging language throughout. “Great Art in Playboy” presents “a small exhibition of significant visual artists and their works under the sign of the rabbit” (own translation). It features nude works ranging from Dalí to Warhol. “The Woman Without Taboos” is Beate Uhse, who, according to Playboy, “made the sexual revolution part of everyday life in Germany”. The magazine pays tribute to her with “an ode to an educator and businesswoman”. “Our Second-Best Friend” is the vibrator, whose cultural history is said to reveal “more about the relationship between the sexes than any sociology textbook”. A four-page feature includes a three-page interview with Oliver Bendel, a philosopher of technology based in Zurich. The interview was conducted by Christina Weiß. In the table of contents, it appears under the heading “Sex Devices”. The conversation explores sometimes exciting but always one-sided relationships with chatbots, love dolls, and sex robots. With the kind permission of Florian Boitin, Editor-in-Chief of Playboy Germany, the article has been available for download here since July 7, 2026.

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Goodbye, ICSR + Art 2026

The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) took place in London from July 1–4, bringing together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from around the world to explore the latest advances in social robotics. Hosted by Hooman Samani and Saina Akhond from the University of the Arts London, the conference welcomed around 350 participants who presented their latest research in the main track and special sessions while engaging in lively discussions with both humans and robots in the Debate Room. Teams also competed in the Grand Challenge, showcasing innovative concepts and working prototypes that demonstrated the future potential of social robotics. A series of inspiring keynote presentations explored emerging technologies as well as important methodological questions shaping the field, while robot performances and a memorable robot dance featuring Silke Grabinger added an artistic dimension to the event. Throughout the conference, attendees had the opportunity to meet an impressive range of social robots, including Furhat, Ameca, Euclid, Lovot, and Mirumi. Furhat and Ameca represented highly expressive humanoid platforms capable of remarkably lifelike interactions, while Euclid attracted particular attention as an open-source humanoid robot built for only a few hundred dollars, proving that affordable hardware can compete with well-known androids such as Sophia and Erika. In contrast, Lovot and Mirumi showcased the softer side of social robotics. Mirumi, a small furry wearable companion robot, charmed visitors with its ability to cling to the handle of a handbag using its tiny arms and is expected to appear soon in pop-up stores, particularly targeting girls and women. On the third evening, after a thought-provoking panel discussion and another series of robot performances, enthusiastic participants left the illuminated Senate House inspired by several days of groundbreaking research, creative collaboration, and a shared vision of how humans and robots will shape the future together. Further information is available at icsr2026.uk.