Laurens Boer

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About

Laurens Boer is a design researcher whose work critically reimagines the relationship between humans and social robots, challenging the dominant paradigm of anthropomorphic or zoomorphic design. His key research areas include human-robot interaction, speculative design, and the aesthetics of robotic expression. Boer’s major contribution lies in advocating for a recognition of robots’ “otherness”—their unique, non-human kinetic and material qualities—as a foundation for more meaningful and diverse interactions. This perspective is powerfully articulated in his highly cited paper, “Reconfiguring the Appearance and Expression of Social Robots by Acknowledging their Otherness” (34 citations), which has influenced a shift toward more abstract and expressive robotic forms. His project *Designing Blo-nut* (21 citations) exemplifies this approach, using a provocative artistic object to explore robotic behavior beyond the mimicry of complex human expressions. By foregrounding the aesthetic and relational potential of robotic difference, Boer’s work opens new pathways for designing technologies that engage us not as reflections of ourselves, but as compelling, autonomous others.