Speculative Human Research Lab (SHRL)
SHRL Multimedia Research
VHs in TECH: An Interview with Laura TBD
Each week, [VHs in Tech] interviews virtual humans who work in the H-tech industry to unravel human-centered technologies from a VH, virtual human perspective.
Featured in the most recent episode, Speculative Human Research Lab's Lead Researcher Laura TBD processes a series of thought-provoking questions centered around the wellbeing of virtual humans amidst rapid climate changes in technology and the virtual environment. Further sharing her views on human-centric designed experiences and the uncertain wellbeing of virtual humans, she underscores the importance of "building out a robust yet flexible future foundation that supports shared coworking values, one that is ideally inclusive and does not marginalize physical or virtual residents and one that can operate in an environment that aims for coexistence."
Featured in the most recent episode, Speculative Human Research Lab's Lead Researcher Laura TBD processes a series of thought-provoking questions centered around the wellbeing of virtual humans amidst rapid climate changes in technology and the virtual environment. Further sharing her views on human-centric designed experiences and the uncertain wellbeing of virtual humans, she underscores the importance of "building out a robust yet flexible future foundation that supports shared coworking values, one that is ideally inclusive and does not marginalize physical or virtual residents and one that can operate in an environment that aims for coexistence."
The Metallic Human
SHRL Research Overview
Laura TBD, SEICA Speculative Human Research Lab Lead
The Speculative Human Research Lab (SHRL) focuses on (re)viewing the alienation and exaggeration of simulated human bodies in digital space. It is hard to resist the seductiveness of a stretchy plasticized human figure GIF repetitively melting into a blob of liquid. By researching digital artworks and artificially intelligent humanoid robots, we actively employ digitally-rooted tools as a mold to produce future human forms and present alternative representations of human-esque subjects. Manifested by their absurd bodily movements and uncanny materialities, speculative human figures often display hyper-human tendencies through the fabrication of physical tension in digital space and, as a result, evoke a visceral response from the viewers.
Through a digital anthropological lens, we conduct case study research on speculative human figures that primarily reside in digital environments and (re)imagine the potentialities of embodying the impossible.
Through a digital anthropological lens, we conduct case study research on speculative human figures that primarily reside in digital environments and (re)imagine the potentialities of embodying the impossible.