Otto Bock www.ottobock.at A video presentation of the most intimate of robot-human interaction in the form of advanced prosthetics, Otto Bock reminds us of the overwhelmingly positive relevance of technology in our lives. A robotic arm with outstanding neural connections reactivates nerves, stimulating the brain and producing feeling through an artificial interface. This is technology as empowerment. Paro www.aist.go.jp A robot in the form of a baby seal, Paro has been used for ten years in Japan and Europe for therapeutic purposes, in particular with Alzheimer’s patients, often dramatically reducing the need for more traditional medicine and interventions. Paro registers environmental stimuli via two computers and five sensors measuring touch, light, sound, temperature and physical position, enabling it to interact with its human interlocutor, recognizing 50 different voices and responding to its name. The roles and relationships of humans and technology are in flux and up for debate. 14 InnovationSpace: The Lab