On Wednesday 29 January, Irene Alcubilla Troughton will defend her PhD dissertation “Moving Together: A Performing Arts Approach to Human-Robot Interaction Design”.

This dissertation tackles an important challenge in human-robot interaction (HRI): how to create meaningful encounters between humans and robots through movement. Traditionally, HRI has focused on what this thesis categorises as an “internalist” approach, wherein movement is used to convey and interpret internal states like emotions or intentions. While this approach has its strengths, it often overlooks the richness and complexity of real interactions through movement.

This research introduces a new way of approaching this challenge: the “relational” perspective. This approach sees human-robot interactions as dynamic, co-created and contextual, in which movement becomes a tool for building patterns and connections in the moment. To develop this idea, the dissertation uses theoretical insights from performance studies and cybernetics to think about relationality. It also investigates examples of robotic art to uncover new design possibilities, and works with professional performers in real-life scenarios to learn from their expertise in creating meaningful encounters. These methods lead to practical recommendations for designing robots that can engage more meaningfully with humans in specific contexts.

In sum, this thesis shows how focusing on the relations that occur in the moment through movement, rather than relying solely on the expression of emotions and intentions, can lead to richer human-robot interactions. By blending ideas from the humanities and sciences, this work provides new tools and perspectives for researchers and designers in the field of HRI. It also highlights the value of creative, interdisciplinary thinking in shaping the future of robotics within the framework of the project Acting like a Robot.