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There were a lot of blog posts that really stood out to me, but the one called “Dying Robots” by Richard was especially interesting. The post mentions works with different takes on mortality. It definitely made me think about how we usually think of machines (and by extension robots) as breaking down, while actually dying is something humans and creatures do. But this post also brings up an example of people feeling empathy and grief just the same when a robotic creature dies.
Does anybody else remember Opportunity, the robot sent by NASA to Mars? In 2018, contact with the rover was lost after a dust storm and it was assumed to have “died”. There are two things I find remarkable around this. One is that the scientists, after failing at contacting the robot, chose to transmit a beautiful song about missing a loved one as a final farewell. I think it really shows how human it is to mourn for a lost one, even one made of cogs and gears. I also recall how people all over internet also were reacting to Opportunity’s time coming to an end. I myself definitely felt a little sad thinking of a little creature being all alone, dying, on a distant planet. So, the concept of dying artificial creatures is really interesting to me.
My work extends the concept of artificial creatures dying. The creature itself is small and faintly resembling an animal, but I think the point comes across better if it is still clear it is a robot. This creature is simulating dying, and when the viewer encounters it it is alone in a dimly lit room. It emits noises that can be interpreted as distress and moves shakily on the ground. When/if the viewer picks it up or touches it, it also responds. Through tactile sensations it grows stiller and a heartbeat can be felt going slower and slower. Eventually it stops completely and (importantly) cannot be revived.
The idea is that the viewer experiences an intimate moment “guiding” a dying creature through its last moments of life. Whether or not this actually causes a feeling of grief, I guess would have to be actually tested. It would also be interesting to see with what bare minimum means it could be communicated that this thing is in the process of dying. How creaturely does it have to be?
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