A Conference That Is Trying to Rethink How Animals Interact With Technology
Researchers and designers will convene in Switzerland in December 2026 for the 13th International Conference on Animal-Computer Interaction. This event explores creating technology with animals as active users, shifting focus from human-animal int...
A gathering of researchers and designers is expected in Switzerland in December 2026 in order to discuss something that sounds rather strange at first glance. The FHNW School of Business is set to hold the 13th International Conference on Animal-Computer Interaction, and is based on a question that is still not commonly asked: what happens when technology is not only created for humans but also created with animals in mind? This conference is expected to bring together people from various fields in animal behavior and ecology, according to information provided on the official ACI conference platform (2026).
The conference is about creating technology for animals to use, not just about using technology to study animals. This field is also called animal-machine interaction, and changes how we think about interaction design. The focus has moved from how humans use a device to interact with or control animals to how animals interact with or use a device. Professor Oliver Bendel was one of the first to introduce this concept, and he explains this interaction in terms of how animals have their own way of seeing things, which is a different kind of problem in interaction design. A sensor is not just used to collect data; it is also one that must fit with the behavior and environment. The invitation for contributions seems to include research papers and emerging ideas, which tells us that the subject is still in the early stages of being defined. The subject areas that the participants are encouraged to explore include "interactive enrichment tools" and "wildlife conservation systems," among others, according to the ACI call for submissions (2026). Perhaps the subject is intentionally so broad with a wide scope, as it could be a space where various disciplines are still trying to create a common language, since the subject of animals and machines is not one that easily fits under one category.
Image Credit: Gemini
We can safely say that animals will be treated as subjects whose needs and actions will dictate how technology is created, and will not be treated as objects of study. This is a small change, but it is an important one. It now discusses what kind of technology can coexist with animals without affecting them, rather than discussing what technology can get from animals. There is no pretense of having all the answers. It appears to be more focused on opening a space where all of those questions can be explored in a more detailed manner.
