Embedded Files
Distract-O-Bot
Do you ever get distracted by your phone while trying to read a book? The Distract-O-Bot certainly does.
Do you ever get distracted by your phone while trying to read a book? The Distract-O-Bot certainly does.
The Experience
The Experience
Imagine a quiet scene: a robot is sitting in front of an open book, ready to take it all in. Just within its peripheral vision sits a smartphone.
The Distract-O-Bot intends to read. You can see it physically orients itself toward the text. But then, it gets distracted by the lit up screen next to it. It doubts for a second, and continues reading the book. It reads for a while before getting distracted again. This time, it gives into the distraction and looks at the phone, abandoning the book entirely. But after a while, it goes back to the book again. This cycle continues on and on and on (just like in real-life).
This machine is designed to fail at its primary task (reading a book), mimicking a struggle that is all too familiar to its human creators.
PXL_20251215_120225715.mp4Can you stay focused?
Can you stay focused?
In this project, we explore a quality often viewed as a flaw rather than a feature: Distraction.
When we think of robots, we typically associate them with hyperfocus, multitasking, and attention. Robots are supposed to be perfect workers. By inverting this expectation, Distract-o-bot bridges the "Uncanny Valley" in an unexpected way. It doesn't look like a human, but it acts like one in our most vulnerable moments.
The work poses a simple, but provocative question: If a machine adopts our bad habits, does it seem more alive?
Context & Inspiration
Context & Inspiration
The inspiration for this work comes from the modern "Attention Economy". In a time where algorithms are designed to hijack human dopamine systems, we find ourselves constantly fighting to maintain focus.
The work mirrors the loss of autonomy humans feel when "doom-scrolling". There is a very distinct difference between being focused, being tempted to divert your attention and being fully distracted.
The mobile video game subway surfers is a very popular way for creators of so-called brainrot to catch the attention of doomscrollers. This gameplay is usually accompanied by a secondary video playing on top or a story being narrated. This is why there specifically is subway surfers gameplay playing on loop on the phone.
The project adheres to the principle of minimal technical means. The gesture of looking away conveys the entire narrative. The mechanism is simple, but the projected feeling (guilt, curiosity, fragility, loss of control) is complex.
IMG_9431.mov"Oh, this looks like my daughter!"
"Oh, this looks like my daughter!"
- Random viewer
PXL_20251219_120232399~2.mp4"My girlfriend is exactly like this."
"My girlfriend is exactly like this."
- Random viewer
Individual Parts
Individual Parts
Arduino, Breadboard, Servomotor, RGB LEDs, Meccano Set.
First Prototype
First Prototype
Just the servomotor is connected.
Second Prototype
Second Prototype
We added the RGB LEDs that serve as the "eyes". When focused, the eyes are blue. When it's tempted by the phone it turns yellow. When it looks at the phone and is fully distracted, the eyes are orange.
Team: Tristan Cotino & Asuka Banga
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse