Nekojita FuFu in Zurich

As Publicity Chair of ICSR + Art 2026, Oliver Bendel had the opportunity on the third evening to choose between two gifts, one larger and one smaller. Since he had traveled to London with only carry-on luggage, he opted for the smaller one. When he unpacked the cardboard box back home in Zurich, out popped a little bear. Pressing its stubby tail causes it to blow air through its mouth. In this way, it can cool down hot drinks and hot soups. The philosopher of technology tried it out on his terrace. The little bear blew what seemed like a hole right into his coffee. Its name is, by the way, Nekojita FuFu, and it is – like Qoobo and Mirumi – from Yukai Engineering. The Berlin Bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin and has adorned the city’s coat of arms for centuries. Just outside Germany’s capital lies Potsdam. The city is best known for its magnificent palaces, beautiful gardens, and its important role in German and European history. It is home to the University of Potsdam as well as several renowned research institutions, including the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics. About 6 kilometers outhwest of Potsdam, in the village of Caputh (part of the municipality of Schwielowsee), stands the Einstein House. The famous physicist had this modest wooden house built in 1929 based on plans by the architect Konrad Wachsmann. Einstein and his family spent their summers there, and he worked there until the end of 1932. The University of Potsdam will host ICSR + Health 2027, where Dr. Katharina Kühne and the Potsdam Embodied Cognition Group (PECoG) will welcome the community with open arms. Incidentally, Potsdam’s coat of arms features a red eagle on a silver field.

Fig.: The bear in various colors (Photo: Yukai Engineering)

Talking with Euclid

The 18th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR + Art 2026) is currently taking place in London from July 1–4, bringing together researchers, academics, and industry professionals from around the world to explore the latest developments in social robotics. Among the highlights of the second conference day was a live demonstration of Euclid, an advanced humanoid robot developed by Dr. Carl Strathearn, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, and Emilia Sobolewska. Strathearn’s work focuses on developing autonomous humanoid robots powered by artificial intelligence that look, behave, and interact in ways that closely resemble humans. Creating lifelike humanoid robots is particularly valuable because the human face remains the most natural interface for communication, emotional expression, and learning. By replicating these familiar conditions, researchers can make AI technologies more intuitive and accessible for people from a wide range of backgrounds, ages, and abilities. Euclid embodies this vision as a fully autonomous social robot equipped with automatic speech recognition, computer vision, generative AI, skin sensors, and a unique robotic mouth that uses machine learning to generate realistic visemes for speech. The robot has been specifically designed for social and assistive interactions with older adults, where natural communication and trust are essential. What makes Euclid especially remarkable, however, is its appearance. While many well-known female humanoid robots, such as Sophia, Erika, and Harmony, feature smooth, almost flawless faces that reflect conventional beauty stereotypes, Euclid deliberately takes a different approach. The robot realistically portrays the deeply lined facial features and weathered skin of an older man. This design choice is both technically demanding and artistically sophisticated, demonstrating that age, character, and authenticity can be just as aesthetically compelling as youthful perfection. In doing so, Euclid challenges established conventions in humanoid robot design while presenting a more diverse and human-centered vision of social robotics. At the ICSR, scientists had the opportunity to talk with Euclid and ask him about his identity and charisma. Further information is available at icsr2026.uk.

Fig.: Oliver Bendel with Euclid