“My Robot Body”: A Workshop to Promote Body Awareness and Digital Literacy through Embodiment with Robots

We present My Robot Body, a workshop exploring the relationship between human bodies and non-anthropomorphic robots to foster personal body awareness and interpersonal communication. Drawing from embodied cognition and theatrical techniques, the workshop integrates advanced technology with dance and theatre methods. Using wearable control devices, participants animate five non-humanoid robots featuring different expressive characteristics, integrated in a system that allows for flexible reconfiguration at runtime to promote experimentation and creativity. The workshop aims to transcend social barriers through body-based interaction and foster digital literacy by providing hands-on experience with robotics technology. Participants reported increased body awareness and a shift in perspective on technology. Despite challenges such as disconnection between controller actions and robot movements, the workshop received high satisfaction and was viewed as an effective learning tool. Led by a multidisciplinary team, My Robot Body highlights the potential of stage performance for human-robot interaction research.