Creatures x Cyberspace Workshop

Conference: MUM 2026 · Location: University of Glasgow · Room: TBD · Date: December

A Design Futures Workshop Scoping the Future of Online Interaction Between Animals

We bring together researchers from interaction design, remote technologies, and animal-computer interaction (ACI) to explore the future of how animals could interact with each other online using technology.

Research has shown that pets like parrots and dogs can socialise via video calls, but the wider design space for how different animals could interact online are underexplored. The internet age has massively impacted human culture, society and behaviour. How will it impact animals?

Together, we scope this space using design futuring to pre-empt the requirements benefits, and ethical challenges of this paradigm shift, tackling key questions:

How could different species interact?
What interaction techniques and feedback would they use?
What activities, socialising, and information could they share?
How will this impact their wellbeing?
What will be the societal impact of creatures in cyberspace?

Workshop outcomes will be gathered into key themes and insights that help shape the future of remote ACI research and design, supporting ongoing collaboration and community building in this emerging area.

If you’d like to take part, please sign up below for free. You’ll be asked for your name, area of expertise, and a short note on your hopes, ideas, and concerns about animals interacting online. Pre-registering helps us develop workshop themes and assemble interdisciplinary teams in advance.