This is Cleo, an installation of a robotic wild owl. This installation places the user in an interaction with a ‘wild’ animal, where the user can attempt to calm the animal down and gain its trust. Cleo will watch the light warily, keeping an eye out for signs of danger. Any sudden movements will put Cleo on guard, and she will close her wings around herself for protection. As Cleo grows accustomed to the light, she opens her wings up. Moving the light slowly and carefully will put Cleo at ease.
This installation highlights how humans anthropomorphise computer systems and imbue them with meaning. Cleo is inspired by robotic animals such as Edge Innovations’ robot dolphin and PARO, the theraputic seal robot. However, unlike PARO and the dolphin, Cleo is neither friendly nor cuddly. Cleo’s primary attribute is her vulnerability, conveyed through her behaviour and visual design. These features aim to invoke a care-taking, empathetic response in the user. Cleo’s papercraft aesthetic is at odds with her nervous, twitchy, lifelike movements. This reminds the user that their feelings of empathy and protectiveness are being directed towards a creature which is inanimate and constructed.
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