This artist talk showcases the Pandemic Trilogy, a series of 3 Application Poems (PoemApps) made during and dialoguing with pandemic times. These artworks, created from 2020 to 2022 by the Laboratório de Poéticas Fronteiriças team, are digital art mobile applications with game dynamics. Their goal is to react to reality as the Sars-COV-2 virus transformed it and aesthetically discuss, in different ways and with a different focus in each artwork, possible dialogue inserted in the field of digital arts. They are Covid-19 (2020), an augmented reality PoemApp that dialogues with the emergence of the virus; Lave as mãos (2020), an application that focuses on preventing the disease; and Vacina estética (2022), a virtual reality PoemAPP that utilises the vaccination/immunological protection as a poetic element.

"Dancing with(in) Your Body Cosmos" is an art project at the intersection of dance, technology, and cognitive science, building upon our foundational work "Body Cosmos." . It introduces the concept of 'Bio-body', a dynamic digital embodiment of the dancer's physiological state, rendered in real-time using EEG, motion capture, and visualization technologies. The project offers two unique interactive experiences: 'Dancing within your Body Cosmos', which immerses dancers in their own inner space, and 'Dancing with your Body Cosmos', creating a bio-digital mirror for enhanced performance. This integration of bio-data with artistic expression transcends traditional neurofeedback, delve into the realm of embodied cognition. This research presents the development of the bio-body, exploring how dancers can engage with their bio-data to amplify awareness and augment performance. This artwork contributes to the evolving understanding of dance, positioning it within a broader context of interdisciplinary artistic exploration that fuses human cognition, creativity, and digital technology.

“You are the hottest thing in the room! I couldn’t help but come over to introduce myself.” That’s how the conversation began between the human-sized female robot and an audience member during Come Hither to Me! In this robot theater the robotic agent charms the audience with her seductive humor and subtly enters them into a provocative dialogue that surfaces their stereotypical biases in gendered social interactions. Come Hither to Me! exemplifies “Interrogative Robot Theater,” our performative and critical method for social robotics research with an objective of designing robotic embodiment and interactivity for theatrical performances and public interventions. We apply various design and theater-making methods to develop a socially engaging, fun, and playful interactive experience for the audience. Using humorous conversation and embodied interaction design, our feminist robot theater makes
a satirical performative commentary on misogynistic dating culture and stereotypical gender roles. Inspired by the male-centered pickup artist community guidelines, we designed a chatbot decision tree for our female-gendered robot actor that flirts and provokes conversation with participants of all genders, subverting the imbalanced power dynamics of sexist social interactions. This interventionist theater-making methodology builds upon social justice-oriented interaction design, interrogative design, and Theater of the Oppressed. Through the application of this approach, Come Hither to Me! interrogates and problematizes gendered intimacy and agency in social interactions.

The intersection of virtual reality (VR) and serious gaming presents a novel approach to enhancing knowledge and environmental awareness in marine bioscience research and education. This approach realized the development of ``SubmergeShots", which simulates underwater photography and provides an immersive educational experience for participants without the risks associated with actual diving. It is designed to address underwater photographers' challenges, such as equipment handling, safety procedures, and ethical interaction with marine life while promoting conservation awareness. By applying Unity, the game has three levels that guide the player from pre-dive preparations to underwater exploration and post-dive equipment management and include the scenarios of ``game over" if proper procedures are not followed as a warning. The game's potential is a collaboration with professional underwater photography institutions and promises to further educational value, with certification upon successful completion, to realize outstanding production achievement.

This artist presentation introduces a practice-based research endeavor aimed at exploring novel possibilities for machines in presenting anthropomorphic features. It unveils three innovative practices by Zoe Li, seeking to reimagine the anthropomorphic potential of robots. These projects delve into novel approaches to humanizing machines, employing performative anthropomorphic features that transcend overt appearances and reveal themselves through choreographed machine performance. The artistic strategy investigates subtle anthropomorphic qualities, fostering empathic connections without relying on a humanoid facade. The aspiration is to open new possibilities for human-robot interaction.

This project introduces an innovative paradigm for mythological storytelling within a gaze-controlled virtual reality environment. Departing from conventional mediums such as audio and text, it enables users to engage in first-person explorations of global mythologies and folktales. Leveraging intuitive eye-tracking mechanisms and interactive chatbot technology, it fosters immersive narrative experiences. Informed by user interaction patterns, the system facilitates dynamic co-creation. This adaptive storytelling not only delivers personalized experiences but also encourages diverse interpretations and deeper connections with mythological content. By transcending simplistic symbols prevalent in static storytelling, our work redefines narrative exploration, offering a multi-layered journey into mythological realms.