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About

Steve Benford is a pioneering researcher in Human-Computer Interaction whose work sits at a fascinating intersection of embodied interaction, robotics, and multispecies design. Based at the University of Nottingham, Benford has consistently pushed the boundaries of how humans — and increasingly, animals — engage with technology through their bodies and environments. His early and most influential work explored breath as an interface, most notably through breath-controlled amusement rides, which garnered 89 citations and demonstrated how physiological signals could meaningfully drive immersive experiences. This thread continued through his broader investigation of bodily control, surrender, and self-awareness in HCI, examining how humans negotiate agency when technology senses and actuates the body. In recent years, Benford has emerged as a leading voice in multispecies technology design, most visibly through the landmark *Cat Royale* project — an artist-led installation deploying a robotic arm to enrich the lives of cats. This work has generated multiple publications addressing trustworthy autonomous systems, animal welfare, and the complex ethical frameworks required when non-human beings become research participants and technology beneficiaries. Throughout his career, Benford has championed transdisciplinary collaboration between artists and roboticists, positioning artistic provocation as a legitimate and generative research methodology that opens new frontiers in human-robot interaction.