Substituting Animals with Biohybrid Robots: Speculative Interactions with Animal-Robot Hybrids

Abstract

What if animals were substituted with biohybrid robots? The replacement of pets with bioinspired robots has long existed within technological imaginaries and HRI research. Addressing developments of bioengineering and biohybrid robots, we depart from such replacement to study futures inhabited by animal-robot hybrids. In this paper, we introduce a speculative concept of assembling and eating biohybrid robots. With this provocation as a starting point, we intend to initiate cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural discussions around human-food interaction practices and related topics.