Madeline Gannon interviewed in The Prompt, a magazine by Figma about AI, Design, and Code
Madeline Gannon was interviewed for The Prompt, a magazine from Figma exploring Artificial Intelligence, Design, and Code. Gannon was interviewed by Jenny Xie for the article Are we finally entering the age of androids? The robots are here, but are we ready for them?
See the full details here.
Madeline Gannon was interviewed for The Prompt, a magazine from Figma exploring Artificial Intelligence, Design, and Code. In the article Are we finally entering the age of androids? author Jenny Xie speaks with Gannon and humanoid robot makers Engineered Arts and Argodesign about the role Design can play in influencing how robotics and AI will impact society. The hardware is here, but are we ready for it?
Read the full article here and magazine here.
Special thanks to Jenny Xie and Amber Bravo for including us in the conversation.
Opening spread of the article, Are we finally entering the age of androids?
Excerpts below:
What the illusion of sentience unlocks
Humans have an innate tendency toward animism, anthropomorphism, and pareidolia; we see faces everywhere. And one thing’s for sure: You don’t have to try very hard to trick us. “We’re looking for animacy in everything around us,” says Madeline Gannon, multidisciplinary designer and founder of research studio Atonaton. Describing herself as part engineer, part Jane Goodall, Madeline recasts industrial robots as animalistic characters: She turns one into a googly-eye Cyclops, and others into an inquisitive flock, inspired by a bevy of swans she encountered in Zürich. “Body language is a common way of broadcasting and receiving information,” she continues. “We see this most prevalently in our relationship to animals. If you see something in the distance, you check if its haunches are tightened. You’re looking to see if you can eat it, or if it can eat you.”
[…]
In general, however, Madeline wants us to think beyond the narratives we’ve been fed. “The possibilities are endless,” she says. “The probabilities are kind of boring.” She points out that though we’re certain of what we don’t want AI robots to do—take over our jobs, rob us of a sense of fulfillment—what we do want is much more nebulous, and getting there will necessitate critical thinking, cross-disciplinary work, and realizing our own agency. That’s why her work hinges on defamiliarizing long-established hardware; it shakes us out of the status quo and reminds us of the human provenance of these machines. “I try to navigate the engineering and hard science problems, and the aesthetics and poetics of that,” she says. “My biggest aspiration is not to impose a future I want, but to give tools and inspiration to others to think about the futures they want. There are too few people deciding what future arrives.”
Madeline Gannon Featured in Nomad Magazine
Madeline Gannon was invited to talk with Oliver Herwig for Nomad Magazine’s latest issue on Intelligence. In the interview they discuss how to navigate towards optimistic outcomes amidst waves of technological change. Gannon was photographed in her Miami studio by Gesi Schilling.
See the full details here.
Madeline Gannon was invited to talk with Oliver Herwig for Nomad Magazine’s latest issue on Intelligence. In the interview they discuss how to navigate towards optimistic outcomes amidst waves of technological change.
Gannon was photographed in her Miami studio by Gesi Schilling.
More from Nomad:
In this issue, we delve into the topic of intelligence and the borderlands between artificial and human intelligence. The edition underscores that while AI is remarkable, it lacks human qualities such as empathy, intuition, and ethical judgment. We pose the question of whether AI can assist us in navigating our complex world, despite its limitations.
Renowned designers such as Philippe Starck, Martino Gamper, and the distinguished artist Trevor Paglen offer their insights, shedding light on the intersection of AI with creativity, design, and consciousness expansion. Let's contemplate the profound impact that artificial intelligence will have on our lives and the development of our society, as discussed by different pioneers, role figures, and visionaries, including CD of Sahco and Magniberg Bengt Thornefors, multidisciplinary designer and researcher Madeline Gannon, and the one and only Alice Rawsthorn.
Out Now: Designing the Computational Image, Imaging Computational Design
We are very proud to have contributed words and work to the newly released Designing the Computational Image, Imaging Computational Design. This book, by Daniel Cardoso Llach and Theodora Vardouli, is a comprehensive catalog of the cross-disciplinary genealogy of Computational Design.
Click here for images.
We are very proud to have contributed words and work to the newly released Designing the Computational Image, Imaging Computational Design. This book, by Daniel Cardoso Llach and Theodora Vardouli, is a comprehensive catalog of the cross-disciplinary genealogy of Computational Design.
Madeline Gannon to Debut New Work for Miami Art Week
Madeline Gannon is a featured artist at the inaugural Catalyst Forum, an annual meeting hosted by the Knight Foundation for leaders at the forefront of innovation in the arts. Gannon is debuting a new musical performance made in collaboration with the New World Symphony fellow and violinist Ye Jin Min.
Min composed and choreographed a new piece titled “Four Moons” that she will perform as a duet with Gannon’s koriobots: a team of cable-driven robots that are dynamically choreographed to make things seemingly float through mid-air.
Madeline Gannon to Speak at Boston Dynamics AI Institute
Dr. Madeline Gannon will be giving a talk titled Breathing Life into Machines: Motion Generation for Robotic Behaviors as a part of the Boston Dynamics AI Institute Seminar Series on November 13, 2023 at 2:30PM.
In this talk, she shares her experiences taming giant mechanical beasts around the world. She gives a behind-the-scenes look into her sensing and simulation tools, and discusses techniques for translating between human and robot gestures. Finally, she highlights the limitations of natural gesture interfaces for HRI, and proposes opportunities worth further exploration in different robot form factors.
Madeline Gannon Keynotes Pabellón 2023
Madeline Gannon will Keynote Pavilion 2023: an international festival that explores cutting-edge projects and practice-based research in the creative disciplines. The event features an exciting agenda that includes showcased works, inspiring lectures by industry-leading experts and renowned keynote speakers, visits to notable architecture and design studios, networking spaces, and much more.
Watch the Recap Video here.
Madeline Gannon to speak at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Architecture and Design
Madeline Gannon will speak at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Architecture and Design as a guest lecturer in the Robert B Church III Memorial Lecture Series. Her talk, Creative Robotics: Breathing Life into Machines, discusses how to leverage an architecture and design education to bring creative innovation into robotics.
Madeline Gannon is a Knight Foundation New Work 2022 Awardee
Madeline Gannon is one of six artists awarded with a Knight New Work 2022 grant to produce new works that use technology to transform how arts is created, disseminated, and experienced. Gannon’s winning proposal, Open Source Toolkit for Creative Robotics, will use the $90,000 grant to create develop cutting-edge software tools that make creative robotics more open to artists, designers, and architects.
Read more from the Knight Foundation here.
Madeline Gannon is one of six artists awarded with a Knight New Work 2022 grant to produce new works that use technology to transform how arts is created, disseminated, and experienced. Gannon’s winning proposal, Open Source Toolkit for Creative Robotics, will use the $90,000 grant to create develop cutting-edge software tools that make creative robotics more open to artists, designers, and architects.
Read more from the Knight Foundation here.
Madeline Gannon Featured in AI Art Gallery
Madeline Gannon is a featured artist in NVIDIA’s AI Art Gallery. Her work Other Natures is on display alongside the work of other artists that use AI as a tool, a collaborator, or a muse to yield creative output that could not have been dreamed of by either entity alone
Madeline Gannon is a featured artist in NVIDIA’s AI Art Gallery. Her work Other Natures is on display alongside the work of other artists that use AI as a tool, a collaborator, or a muse to yield creative output that could not have been dreamed of by either entity alone
Madeline Gannon speaking at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland
Madeline Gannon has been invited to the 2019 World Economic Forum Cultural Leaders delegation. While in Davos, she’ll be speaking as a part of the Open Forum programming: sharing stories of friendship and belonging across human, animal, and machine boundaries. Madeline will also join the Global Internet of Things Council as a Firestarter, to bring to light the new challenges and possibilities that robotics and IoT bring for society as a whole.
Watch the livestream for Storytellers: In Search of Belonging on the Forum website on Wednesday 23 January, 15:00 - 16:30 Europe/Zurich
The Global Internet of Things Council takes place on Thursday 24 January, 16:00 - 17:30 Europe/Zurich
Madeline Gannon has been invited to the 2019 World Economic Forum Cultural Leaders delegation. While in Davos, she’ll be speaking as a part of the Open Forum programming: sharing stories of friendship and belonging across human, animal, and machine boundaries. Madeline will also join the Global Internet of Things Council as a Firestarter, to bring to light the new challenges and possibilities that robotics and IoT bring for society as a whole.
Watch the livestream for Storytellers: In Search of Belonging on the Forum website on Wednesday 23 January, 15:00 - 16:30 Europe/Zurich
The Global Internet of Things Council takes place on Thursday 24 January, 16:00 - 17:30 Europe/Zurich
Madeline Gannon keynotes for ABB Customer World China 2018
Madeline Gannon gave a keynote address to the Opening Forum of ABB Customer World China. She shared her work in taming giant industrial robots, and discuss how we can bring human-centered design to the forefront automation and robotics industry.
See full coverage here.
Madeline Gannon has won the ACADIA Innovative Research Award of Excellence
The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture has been awarded Madeline Gannon an Innovative Research Award of Excellence at the annual ACADIA Conference, held this year in Mexico City, Mexico.
From the ACADIA Awards Committee's citation: “This award recognizes Madeline Gannon’s significant contribution to the field of robotics bringing a fresh new perspective exploring concerns of empathy and companionship. Madeline's innovation expands the current tradition of technology towards a more diverse and inclusive field of technology.”
Madeline Gannon named Featured Artist at World Economic Forum Summer Davos 2018
Madeline Gannon has been named a featured artist for the 2018 World Economic Forum Summer Davos program. As a part of the program, ATONATON will debut a newly commission installation — Manus, and Madeline will give a BetaZone talk sharing her robotics work in the context of New Frontiers in Creativity. You can see the recorded talk here!
Listen: Science Friday Interview with Madeline Gannon
Madeline Gannon is speaking with Ira Flatow and the SciFri crew at Science Friday Live: Pittsburgh on May 19th at 7:30pm. Come by for a robot-packed evening with a some of Pittsburgh’s most talented artists and scientists (tickets can be purchased here).
You can listen to the radio broadcast on May 25th at 2pm (ET) — or to the podcast episode here!
Madeline Gannon is speaking with Ira Flatow and the SciFri crew at Science Friday Live: Pittsburgh on May 19th at 7:30pm. Come by for a robot-packed evening with a some of Pittsburgh’s most talented artists and scientists (tickets can be purchased here).
You can listen to the radio broadcast on May 25th at 2pm (ET) — or to the podcast episode here!
Madeline Gannon keynotes for Google Design at SPAN '17
Madeline Gannon will be giving a keynote to kick off SPAN '17 — a conference about design and technology, hosted by Google.
From September 14-15, SPAN attendees will connect with leading designers, artists, technologists, and researchers—in addition to a few bright folks from Google. Through talks, conversations, workshops, and demos, the conference will explore links across design, technology, and socially engaged creative practice. See the full schedule here and register here!
Madeline Gannon will be giving a keynote to kick off SPAN '17 — a conference about design and technology, hosted by Google.
From September 14-15, SPAN attendees will connect with leading designers, artists, technologists, and researchers—in addition to a few bright folks from Google. Through talks, conversations, workshops, and demos, the conference will explore links across design, technology, and socially engaged creative practice. See the full schedule here and register here!
Mimus Awarded an Ars Electronica STARTS Prize
Mimus was awarded an Honorary Mention from this year's Ars Electronica STARTS Prize jury for innovation at the intersection of Science, Technology, and the Arts. A video of Mimus will be on exhibition in this year's Ars Electronica Festival, held in Linz, Austria from September 7-11, 2017.
Mimus was awarded an Honorary Mention from this year's Ars Electronica STARTS Prize jury for innovation at the intersection of Science, Technology, and the Arts. A video of Mimus will be on exhibition in this year's Ars Electronica Festival, held in Linz, Austria from September 7-11, 2017.
Madeline Gannon named World Economic Forum Cultural Leader
Madeline Gannon has been named a 2017 Cultural Leader at this year's World Economic Forum: Annual Meeting of the New Champions. At the forum, she participated in panel discussions on the Future of Production in Industry 4.0. with Carnegie Mellon University, the Future of Human-Robot Relations, and Lifelong Learning Through Creativity with the Lego Foundation.
Read more here: http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2017/june/world-economic-forum.html
Madeline Gannon has been named a 2017 Cultural Leader at this year's World Economic Forum: Annual Meeting of the New Champions. At the forum, she participated in panel discussions on the Future of Production in Industry 4.0. with Carnegie Mellon University, the Future of Human-Robot Relations, and Lifelong Learning Through Creativity with the Lego Foundation.
Read more here: http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2017/june/world-economic-forum.html
Talk: Disney Research
Madeline Gannon will be giving a talk for Disney Research Pittsburgh on her work developing human-centered interfaces for fabrication machines.
Madeline Gannon will be giving a talk for Disney Research Pittsburgh on her work developing human-centered interfaces for fabrication machines.
May 30, 2017 @ 3:00pm
ON EXHIBIT: Mimus live at The Design Museum
Our latest project, Mimus, will be living at the Design Museum London for five months — from November 24th, 2016 to April 23rd, 2017. Mimus was commissioned as a part of the Museum's inaugural exhibition, Fear and Love: Reactions to a Complex World.
Talk: Madeline Gannon speaks at WIRED2016: Next Generation
Madeline Gannon will being speaking at this year's WIRED: Next Gen conference. This one-day event for 12-to-18-year-olds brings exciting interactive experiences and engaging talks about everything from space travel to bionics to robotics. See the full line-up of speakers here.