HCC12 – Technology and Intimacy: Choice or coercion?
Venue: Salford Business School’s Centre for Digital Business, Manchester, UK
Time: 7th – 9th September 2016
Archive page: CLICK HERE
About
IFIP Mission Statement
The International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) is the global non-profit umbrella organization of societies of ICT professionals that aims at achieving a worldwide professional and socially responsible development and application of information and communication technologies. This goal is accomplished by enhancing international cooperation amongst individuals, national and international organizations in all aspects of research, development and application of ICT, by disseminating and exchanging information, by educating and enhancing public understanding, by increasing professionalism in the ICT workforce and by promoting global digital equity. IFIP is in a unique position to do so through its membership structure and its lines of activities.
IFIP was 50 years old in 2010 and continues to grow.
Human Choice and Computers
It is crucial to understand how ICT innovation is associated with change in society. Human Choice and Computers – a series of conferences organised by the International Federation of Information Processing’s (IFIP) Technical Committee 9 (TC9) – focuses on this critical issue. It works to shape socially responsible and ethical policies and professional practices in the information society. The themes pertinent to the work of IFIP TC9 are covered at this conference.
IFIP is recognized by the United Nations and other world bodies, with National Computing Societies as its primary membership, and thirteen Technical Committees considering issues of importance through a host of specialist working groups. These working groups include a great number of computing, information systems, and social science academics, as well as industry representatives.
The last HCC conference, HCC11, was held in Turku, Finland (2014). HCC10 was held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2012), HCC9 was in Brisbane, Australia (2010), HCC8 was in Pretoria, South Africa (2008), HCC7 was in Maribor, Slovenia (2006), HCC6 was in Montreal, Canada (2002), HCC5 was in Geneva, Switzerland (1998), HCC4 was in Dublin, Ireland (1990), HCC3 was in Stockholm, Sweden (1985), HCC2 was in Baden, Austria (1979), and HCC1 was in Vienna, Austria (1974).
As Manchester is the European City of Science in 2016 it is very appropriate for the conference, as HCC12, to at last come to the UK in 2016.
MediaCityUK
The venue is the MediaCityUK University of Salford campus at Salford Quays. Salford Quays is the exciting redevelopment of the inland port of Manchester- originally the second largest port in the UK. The BBC’s new northern headquarters, in particular, and the impressive piazza often used for public events, are next door to the University of Salford’s own presence at MediaCityUK. Salford Quays is linked to the centre of Manchester, with its large range of hotels and restaurants, by a frequent tram service. There is also an excellent range of hotels at Salford Quays, within easy walking distance so that delegates can choose to stay near the conference venue but make use of the easy access to the city centre for evening entertainment. There is also an excellent range of restaurants at Salford Quays.
This is a space where science and creativity collide to deliver the big digital ideas of the future – a new world requiring talented people from different disciplines to think and work together.
Keynotes
Charles Ess
Professor in Media Studies
Department of Media and Communication
University of Oslo
“What’s love got to do with it? Robots, sexuality, and the arts of being human”
Once the stuff of science fiction (from Metropolis to Ex Machina), the rapid development of AIs conjoined with social robots has evoked serious philosophical reflection over the past decade focusing on the realities and ethical dimensions of love and sex between humans and machines. Representative positions are marked out by David Levy’s watershed optimism that we will fall in love with and marry social robots sometime in the not too distant future (2007) vs. Kathleen Richardson’s recent arguments for banning sex robots altogether.
To evaluate these positions, I will first draw on recent work in AI and social robotics to demarcate a best (theoretically- and empirically-informed) estimation as to what an advanced AI/social robot can and cannot do. I then offer an account of human love and sexuality as informed by Platonic eros (Sullins 2012) and Sara Ruddick’s account of “complete sex” (1975). These accounts allow for utilitarian considerations of the benefits of “good sex” – but their deontological and virtue ethics dimensions foreground specific requirements for human eros and complete sex that appear to remain beyond the capabilities of even the most advanced AIs.
Specifically, human love and eros emerge as marked by ethical norms of mutuality of both desire and respect for personhood: loving itself is understood as a virtue, i.e., a capacity that is a given possibility (for most of us, at least), but one that requires cultivation and practice. In this light, social robots may well be able to offer good sex on demand – the (utilitarian) consequences of which are arguably beneficial in some contexts. At the same time, however, as lacking first-person consciousness and real emotions, such robots, however advanced, would amount to sophisticated sex dolls and zombie lovers – neither of which activate or require loving as a virtue.
Our becoming and remaining human in terms of eros and complete sex thus require our ongoing cultivation of multiple virtues, beginning with loving itself, in intimate relationship with other human beings, if we ourselves seek to avoid becoming identical with the machines that serve us. This position thus marks out a middle ground between Levy and Richardson.
Thursday 8th September
Ghislaine Boddington
Creative Director
body>data>space
London, UK
“The Internet of Bodies – digital intimacies for the future”
Today’s world of connectivity between humans and objects of all kinds – virtual and physical – is extending rapidly, as the experimental and pioneering work of pre millennium artists and creatives moves into mainstream debate, development and usage. In the next 10 years the Internet of Things aims to interlink all the “stuff” around us, everything we need to work and play with. Additionally we are starting to see the evolving linkage of our bodies directly to machine and virtual “others”, in particular through the real-time looping of all our senses, connecting to each other. Also to the robots and avatars we create or choose to form relationships with.
I call this the Internet of Bodies – physical and virtual, human and machine.
Using examples from topical curatorial practices, both my own curations and others, plus recent topical and popular references, this presentation will outline my future visions on human / machine loving – from love bots to synths, implants to biogels, teledildonics to holograms, exploring:
- the future options to take our bodies beyond the singular physical and into the virtual physical, extending and shifting our human senses into new realms, blending and connecting partners across time and space
- the burgeoning relationships between humans and robots and avatars and how this affects the concept of “love” – the most universal of all human needs
How will intimacy, passion, joy and desire be experienced? Will we be able to cherish and love each other, even if never physically in contact?
Will these advances supersede our deep relationship to the unique realtime seduction of skin-upon-skin? How can we vision forward on the positives and negatives of these evolving tech-enhanced sensualities?
Or will these shifts only have limited negative repercussions, as we acquire 21st century skills of rapidly blending parallel virtual/physical realms for joy and positive release?
Ghislaine Boddington is Co-founder and Creative Director of body>data>space and Women Shift Digital and is a Reader in Digital Immersion at the Department of Creative Professions and Digital Arts, University of Greenwich. Ghislaine has been working internationally as a thought leader and pioneer advocating the use of the entire body as a digital interaction canvas, for over 25 years. She has in-depth expertise in body responsive technologies, immersive experiences and interactive interfaces, examining shifting identity politics through the convergence of telepresence, motion, touch, sense and gesture tech, focusing on the blending of the virtual and the physical. Ghislaine has curated, commissioned and consulted on 100s of arts, education and creative industry projects worldwide including leading several multi-partner EU projects, with an aim to enable wider public access to the topical debate on human machine interfaces. She regularly guest inputs into tv/radio and press and presents into a wide range of sectors internationally, including two TEDx presentations. She is curating the Future Love theme at Nesta’s FutureFest and The Games Europe Plays exhibition series for EUNIC in 2016. http://www.bodydataspace.net/ http://www.womenshiftdigital.com/
Call for Papers
From distant mainframes to personal computers to handhelds to wearable tech and implanted devices, contemporary technology seems on an unstoppable trajectory to get nearer and nearer to us, our bodies, and the most intimate details of our lives. This conference series has marked every stage of this journey from 1974 until today. Manchester, home of the computer and now European City of Science in 2016, welcomes HCC12 with the aim of scrutinising the journey from impersonal monolithic technology towards the intimate intertwining of devices and the self. What is the history and impact of this journey and where are we going next?
Intimate technologies are now manifest in so many ways in the workplace, domestic environments, in transport, in defence, and through entertainment opportunities, with both similar and distinct impacts in the developed and in the developing world. The conference seeks to bring together an inclusive and representative sample of these many constantly evolving intimate relationships that have existed previously and continue to exist between humans and technology.
Cross-disciplinary papers concerning ethics, health and wellbeing, or the security and privacy issues associated with any or all of the topics below are very welcome.
The conference welcomes inputs from members of academia and research, civic society, computing associations, industry, and the IT professions on the following themes:
- Intimacy – Location – Personal/Social – Wearables – Implantables – Data Manipulation
- Personalisation – Identity – Digital Footprint – Gender
- Marketing – User Experience – Human Computer Interaction & Design – Search and Social Media
- Customisation – Material Culture – Innovation – Kit – Microchipping
- Generations – Histories – Enabling Technologies
- Geographies – Urban Technologies – Wayfaring
- ICT for Development – Global Mobility – Developing Economies – Sustainability.
Paper Submission
The conference is open to attendees at all stages of career and education, whether you are at the start, middle or peak of your career, either as academics or practitioners. Submitted papers should be approximately 3,000-5,000 words in length.
Instructions: Click on ‘Submit Abstract’ to enter Title, Keywords, your Abstract, Author names, and upload your full paper. A fuller help-guide to submitting your paper through OCS is available here.
Once reviewed, if your paper is accepted for inclusion in the Conference and publication in the Proceedings, we will require you to format your paper according to the Springer guidelines by April 15th 2016.
Conference Venue
The conference venue is MediaCityUK in Salford Quays, in the heart of Greater Manchester, hosted by Salford Business School’s Centre for Digital Business.
Virtual Presenters
Delegates are also invited to submit papers to our special ‘Virtual Presenter’ track, to include presentations of accepted papers via videolink in the Digital Performance Lab at MediaCityUK. Virtual presenters will not only benefit from having no travel and accommodation costs, but will be charged special Virtual Presenter Conference Fee rates.
Publication
Springer will be publishing the proceedings of the conference in the IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology series (IFIP AICT)
Programme Committee
Chairs
David Kreps – University of Salford, UK, WG9.5 Chair
Diane Whitehouse – The Castlegate Consultancy, UK, TC9 Chair
Gordon Fletcher – University of Salford, UK
Marie Griffiths – University of Salford, UK
Programme Committee
Bernd Stahl – De Montfort University, UK
Eileen Trauth – Penn State University, US
Jackie Phahlamohlaka – CSIR, South Africa
Ela Klecun – London School of Economics, UK
Will Venters – London School of Economics, UK
Kai Kimppa – Turku University, Finland
Niki Panteli – Royal Holloway University, UK
Norberto Patrignani – Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Oliver Burmeister – Charles Sturt University, Aus
António Moniz – New University of Lisbon, Portugal
Louise Leenen – CSIR, South Africa
Martin Warnke – Leuphana University, Germany
Petros Chamakiotis – University of Sussex, UK
Brad McKenna – University of Portsmouth, UK
Christina Mörtberg – Linnaeus University, Sweden
Magda David Hercheui – Westminster, UK
Vic Grout – Glyndwr University, UK
Denise Oram – Glyndwr University, UK
Sisse Finken – Linnaeus University, Sweden
Olli Heim – Turku University, Finland
Jani Koskinen – Turku University, Finland
Sue Hessey – BT, UK
Important Dates
January 31st 2016 – Submissions due: 3000-5000 wds
March 18th 2016 – Notification of acceptance/rejection
April 15th 2016 – Submission of camera ready papers in Springer formatting
July 1st 2016 – Deadline for early bird registration
Sept 7th-9th 2016 – Conference dates.
Registration
Conference Fees
As well as Standard Rates and Early Bird rates, we are pleased to make available HCC Members Rates: if you are a representative from a National Computing Society affiliated with IFIP, a member of an IFIP Working Group or IFIP Special Interest Group, or attended HCC11 or HCC10, you may select the appropriate Members Rate, and enter your Society, WG, or attended conference in the relevant field in the online shop.
| Rate | Description | Early Bird Fee | Standard Fee |
| Full Delegate | Conference fee for non-HCC Member Delegates | £375 | £425 |
| VP Full Delegate Rate | Virtual Presenter Fee for non-HCC Members | £305 | £340 |
| HCC Member | Conference Fee for HCC Member Delegates | £305 | £340 |
| VP HCC Member | Virtual Presenter Fee for HCC Members | £270 | £300 |
| Student | Conference fee for Student Delegates | £270 | £300 |
The online shop for registration and payment of conference fees will be available from this website nearer the time.
Social programme
Drinks Reception:
The drinks reception for the conference will take place on Wednesday evening, 16.30-18.30, in the main foyer, sponsored by SigmaUK, with entertainment provided by the Lancashire Wallopers.
Conference Dinner:
For those of you who have prebooked, the conference dinner will take place in Damson restaurant
Photos and Videos
All presentations in the Digital Performance Lab are available on video to watch on the HCC12 YouTube Channel.
There are also a number of photos (mostly of the dinner) from the conference on the TC9 Flickr site.
Travel
Getting to Manchester couldn’t be easier as excellent transport links connect the city with the rest of the world. Manchester Airport, only 20 minutes from the city centre, serves over 190 destinations worldwide non-stop. Direct trains run from the Airport to the city centre every 10 minutes.
Awarded UK Airport of the Year for the last few years, Manchester Airport is one of the world’s top 20 airports. The Airport is the largest regional airport outside of London and is used by over 19m passengers a year.
As well as the wealth of connections across Europe that you would expect, approximately 1.3m passengers fly direct to the US annually. Manchester is connected to the USA by over 50 flights per week. Airlines flying from the USA to Manchester include American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, US Airways and Virgin Atlantic. The city can be reached non-stop from New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Philadelphia.
The MediaCityUK Campus is at the heart of six global BBC departments and a mass of independent creative, digital and media organisations. It is a short walk to the Lowry theatre and gallery, Imperial War Museum North and the Manchester United football ground. There are many shops, bars, and restaurants nearby.
Getting to The Quays and MediaCityUK
By Metrolink tram
Metrolink trams are a quick and easy way to reach MediaCityUK and The Quays. The area is served by the dedicated MediaCityUK stop and Harbour City, Broadway and other stops on the Eccles line. You can connect from other Metrolink lines at Cornbrook.
Trams run every 12 minutes between Cornbrook and MediaCityUK stops from 7.15am to 8pm, Monday to Fridays, and 9.30am to 6pm on Saturdays. The Eccles line service also stops at Broadway and Harbour City during these times. Outside these times, the Eccles line trams call at the MediaCityUK stop, during normal tram operating times. When the shuttle is running, this means that there is a 6 minute service between Cornbrook and Harbour City. Getting the tram from the airport to the city centre, change at Cornbrook for MediaCity: B to E on this map.
By Bus
Bus services provide links to The Quays, either running near The Quays itself or Trafford Park, within easy reach via the new MediaCityUK footbridge across the Manchester Ship Canal. Switching between buses and Metrolink trams is easy in Manchester city centre at Piccadilly Gardens and Shudehill transport interchanges.
It’s easy to connect with buses to The Quays at Salford Shopping Centre and there are other convenient bus and tram interchanges at Bury, Altrincham and Eccles.
By train
If you travel to Manchester city centre by train it’s easy to connect with Metrolink trams at either Piccadilly or Victoria train stations. Both stations have Metrolink stops, so you won’t have to go outdoors when you make the connection.
Many trains also call at Salford Crescent station and it’s easy to connect to The Quays by bus from there.
Campus map
Find out more about our campus locations by using our interactive campus map, or downloading the MediaCityUK way finder map (pdf). Plus: once at MediaCityUK this guide may be useful (pdf).