Embodiment. Interdependencies Between Body, Mind,
and Machine
“Embodiment” is the insight that our perception, emotions, thoughts, memory, and intentions cannot be modeled as bodiless operations. Instead, mind, body, and the environment all influence these processes and cannot be viewed in isolation.
The key question is how corporeal actions and experiences affect thoughts, learning, and problem-solving, e.g. how virtual avatars influence or change self-perception and behavior. In IT, Embodiment is a significant factor concerning robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-machine interactions. How can we configure the physical presence of machines and their interactions with humans to be more intuitive and effective? Possible research questions in the sciences concern the biological and/or biochemical foundations of our perception, movement, and cognitive processes as well as the physical and biomechanical aspects of bodily movement and interactions with the environment. In the social sciences, one might study the social and cultural implications of mimetic or habitual learning, or embodied technologies and how they shape identities and interactions. In the life sciences, body-oriented approaches to rehabilitation, psychological therapy, and prosthetics promise new insights for health and new treatments. In rituals and performative arts, Embodiment describes the use of the body as an expressive and interactive medium.
Applicants are invited to propose research projects, that fit broadly fit the theme of “Embodiment. Interdependencies Between Body, Mind, and Machine.”