Artist Statement

Diamandini is an autokinetic interactive sculpture which progresses through different stages, exploring if intimacy between a human and a robot is possible and acceptable.

Original Concept & Artist/Interface Design: Mari Velonaki

Robotic Systems Design: David Rye

Mechanical and Electronic Design: Mark Calleija

Lead Programmer: Cedric Wohlleber

Mechanical Fabrication: Bruce Crundwell

• Mari Velonaki is an artist and researcher who has worked in the field of interactive installation art since 1995. Her practice engages participants with digital and robotic “characters” in interplays stimulated by sensory triggered interfaces. Her humanmachine interfaces promote intimate and immersive relationships between participants and interactive artworks. She was awarded a PhD in Media Arts at the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales in 2003. Since 2003, Mari has been working as a senior researcher at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR). In 2006 she co-founded with David Rye the Centre for Social Robotics within ACFR at the University of Sydney. In 2007 Mari was awarded an Australia Council for the Arts Visual Arts Fellowship in recognition of her work. In 2009 she was awarded a prestigious Australian Research Council Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship (2009–2013) for the creation of a new robot. This research investigates human-robot interactions in order to understand the physicality that is possible and acceptable between a human and a robot. Mari’s installations have been exhibited in museums and festivals worldwide.

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