This collaborative exhibition explores how robotic vision and artificial intelligence don't just record the world, but actively shape how we see, understand, and imagine it. These technologies are created from human values and perspectives, yet the images and data they produce loop back to influence human perception. We call this feedback process "the loop." It is especially significant for artists, scientists, and image-makers working with remotely captured data, where seeing is mediated by machines rather than direct experience.

Bringing together researchers and practitioners from art, science, and technology, the project used a series of fast-paced, hands-on workshops to explore this loop in action. Participants were encouraged to step outside their disciplinary comfort zones, experimenting with unfamiliar tools, materials, and ways of thinking. Through shared making, discussion, and playful experimentation, new insights emerged about how robotic images are produced, interpreted, and trusted.

Supported by the Web Science Institute Pilot Project Fund, the project hosted four workshops that focused on robotic vision's ability to act at a distance - from satellites to sensors. Working collaboratively, participants built low-fi sensing devices and used them to collect data from the River Itchen in Winchester. By combining creative experimentation with technical expertise, the project challenged disciplinary boundaries and opened up fresh, accessible ways of thinking about how machines see the world - and how that vision shapes our own.


ON DISPLAY: Saturday 28th February 2026 - Wednesday 15th April 2026


LOCATION:
- National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton;
- Level 4 Gallery, Hartley Library, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton.