“Dr. Christoph Bartneck is a professor at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. He worked for the LEGO Group in Billund in the 90s, which reignited his passion for LEGO. Since then, he worked in the USA, Netherlands, Japan and now in New Zealand as a researcher and designer.”

David J. Gunkel (PhD) is an award-winning educator, scholar and author, specializing in ethics of emerging technology. Formally educated in philosophy and media studies, his teaching and research synthesize the hype of high-technology with the rigor and insight of contemporary critical analysis. He is the author of over 80 scholarly journal articles and book chapters, has published 12 influential books, lectured and delivered award-winning papers throughout North and South America and Europe, is the managing editor and co-founder of the International Journal of Žižek Studies and co-editor of the Indiana University Press series in Digital Game Studies. He currently holds the position of Professor in the Department of Communication at Northern Illinois University (USA), and his teaching has been recognized with numerous awards, including NIU’s Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the prestigious Presidential Teaching Professorship.

Håkan Lidbo is an innovative Swedish musician, producer, and sound artist renowned for his versatile and exploratory approach to music. His career spans several decades, during which he has delved into a multitude of genres, from techno and house to more avant-garde and experimental forms. One of the most distinctive aspects of his work is his integration of technology and unconventional sound sources, including the use of robots and automated processes to create unique musical experiences.

Ross Mead is the founder and CEO of Semio, a robotics company specializing in the development of social communication technologies for robots and smart devices. An expert in the field of human-robot interaction, Mead’s work primarily focuses on making robots more accessible and relatable to people by enhancing their ability to communicate and interact in human-like ways.

Jessica Banks is an inventor, designer, entrepreneur, TV personality, and roboticist with degrees in both Engineering (MIT) and Physics (UofM). RockPaperRobot (RPR), her kinetic furniture company aimed at redefining traditionally static furniture into transforming, interactive objects, is a direct result of her multidisciplinary education and artistic pursuits. From levitating tables to flat pack chairs, RPR’s products are as versatile as they are thought-provoking: think Charles Eames’s and Judy Jetson’s wedding registry.