Everything Is a Robot (and Nothing Is)

Amy  Ingold; Jessica Cauchard; Lisa May Thomas; Madeline Balaam; Ellen Weir; Anne Roudaut; Alice Haynes; Amy Winters; Zhuzhi Fan

Everything Is a Robot (and Nothing Is)

Amy Ingold, Jessica Cauchard, Lisa May Thomas, Madeline Balaam, Ellen Weir, Anne Roudaut, Alice Haynes, Amy Winters, Zhuzhi Fan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

Abstract

What is a robot, and who gets to decide? As robots evolve beyond metallic humanoids into drones, inflatable architectures, shape-changing materials, AI agents, and garments, the category itself is breaking apart. Human-Computer Interaction and Human-Robot Interaction are not just responding to this shift, they are actively reshaping it. With its focus on interaction, embodiment, proxemics, aesthetics, and lived experience, HCI offers unique tools to interrogate and redefine the essence of robotics. This two-session workshop brings together researchers, designers, and provocateurs to map emerging definitions, challenge disciplinary boundaries, and build a research roadmap for the future of HCI-driven relational robotics. Together, we will explore what robots are becoming and what they could be when interaction takes center stage.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHI EA '26
Subtitle of host publication	Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
ISBN (Print)	97984007228132604
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 21 Nov 2026
Event	ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2026 - Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Duration: 13 Apr 2026 → 17 Apr 2026 https://chi2026.acm.org/

Publication series

Name	Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Publisher	ACM
ISSN (Electronic)	2159-6468

Conference

Conference	ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2026
Abbreviated title	CHI ’26
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Barcelona
Period	13/04/26 → 17/04/26
Internet address	https://chi2026.acm.org/

Keywords

Robots
Interaction
Theoretical foundations

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Persistent link

Embargoed Document

every thing is a robot
Accepted author manuscript, 399 KB
Licence: CC BY
Embargo ends: 1/01/99

Cite this

@inproceedings{a6cf1a27c66d49ddbfc70d6dac03ec95,

title = "Everything Is a Robot (and Nothing Is)",

abstract = "What is a robot, and who gets to decide? As robots evolve beyond metallic humanoids into drones, inflatable architectures, shape-changing materials, AI agents, and garments, the category itself is breaking apart. Human-Computer Interaction and Human-Robot Interaction are not just responding to this shift, they are actively reshaping it. With its focus on interaction, embodiment, proxemics, aesthetics, and lived experience, HCI offers unique tools to interrogate and redefine the essence of robotics. This two-session workshop brings together researchers, designers, and provocateurs to map emerging definitions, challenge disciplinary boundaries, and build a research roadmap for the future of HCI-driven relational robotics. Together, we will explore what robots are becoming and what they could be when interaction takes center stage.",

keywords = "Robots, Interaction, Theoretical foundations",

author = "Amy Ingold and Jessica Cauchard and Thomas, \{Lisa May\} and Madeline Balaam and Ellen Weir and Anne Roudaut and Alice Haynes and Amy Winters and Zhuzhi Fan",

year = "2026",

month = nov,

day = "21",

language = "English",

isbn = "97984007228132604",

series = "Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems",

publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery",

booktitle = "CHI EA '26",

address = "United States",

note = "ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2026, CHI {\textquoteright}26 ; Conference date: 13-04-2026 Through 17-04-2026",

url = "https://chi2026.acm.org/",

}

Ingold, A, Cauchard, J, Thomas, LM, Balaam, M, Weir, E , Roudaut, A, Haynes, A, Winters, A & Fan, Z 2026, Everything Is a Robot (and Nothing Is). in CHI EA '26: Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Association for Computing Machinery, ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2026, Barcelona, Spain, 13/04/26.

Everything Is a Robot (and Nothing Is). / Ingold, Amy ; Cauchard, Jessica; Thomas, Lisa May et al.
CHI EA '26: Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Association for Computing Machinery, 2026. (Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

TY - GEN

T1 - Everything Is a Robot (and Nothing Is)

AU - Ingold, Amy

AU - Cauchard, Jessica

AU - Thomas, Lisa May

AU - Balaam, Madeline

AU - Weir, Ellen

AU - Roudaut, Anne

AU - Haynes, Alice

AU - Winters, Amy

AU - Fan, Zhuzhi

PY - 2026/11/21

Y1 - 2026/11/21

N2 - What is a robot, and who gets to decide? As robots evolve beyond metallic humanoids into drones, inflatable architectures, shape-changing materials, AI agents, and garments, the category itself is breaking apart. Human-Computer Interaction and Human-Robot Interaction are not just responding to this shift, they are actively reshaping it. With its focus on interaction, embodiment, proxemics, aesthetics, and lived experience, HCI offers unique tools to interrogate and redefine the essence of robotics. This two-session workshop brings together researchers, designers, and provocateurs to map emerging definitions, challenge disciplinary boundaries, and build a research roadmap for the future of HCI-driven relational robotics. Together, we will explore what robots are becoming and what they could be when interaction takes center stage.

AB - What is a robot, and who gets to decide? As robots evolve beyond metallic humanoids into drones, inflatable architectures, shape-changing materials, AI agents, and garments, the category itself is breaking apart. Human-Computer Interaction and Human-Robot Interaction are not just responding to this shift, they are actively reshaping it. With its focus on interaction, embodiment, proxemics, aesthetics, and lived experience, HCI offers unique tools to interrogate and redefine the essence of robotics. This two-session workshop brings together researchers, designers, and provocateurs to map emerging definitions, challenge disciplinary boundaries, and build a research roadmap for the future of HCI-driven relational robotics. Together, we will explore what robots are becoming and what they could be when interaction takes center stage.

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KW - Interaction

KW - Theoretical foundations

M3 - Conference Contribution (Conference Proceeding)

SN - 97984007228132604

T3 - Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

BT - CHI EA '26

PB - Association for Computing Machinery

T2 - ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2026

Y2 - 13 April 2026 through 17 April 2026

ER -

Everything Is a Robot (and Nothing Is)

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Handle.net

Embargoed Document

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