Forest-Robot-Stormin': Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions

Eshtiak Ahmed; Philip Chambers; Timo Nummenmaa; Mari Selkimäki; Teppo Hujala; Juho Hamari; Oguz Oz Buruk

doi:10.1145/3744736.3749334

Forest-Robot-Stormin': Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions

Eshtiak Ahmed^*
, Philip Chambers
, Timo Nummenmaa
, Mari Selkimäki
, Teppo Hujala
, Juho Hamari
, Oguz Oz Buruk

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

6 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper presents a speculative design workshop that represents an initial attempt to explore playful methods for envisioning more-than-human forest-robot interactions. Bringing together game designers, researchers, and technologists, the two-day workshop used creative games, such as a forest-themed fake news card game and AI-generated PowerPoint karaoke, to provoke imaginative thinking. Participants developed speculative concepts through bodystorming, storyboarding, and the creation of short videos, featuring a Boston Dynamics Spot robot. Our analysis, grounded in visual thematic analysis, highlights how play facilitated ideation, visualization, and the making of more-than-human forest-robot concepts. As a work-in-progress, we learned that some game elements proved to be too abstract; however, the iterative making and acting processes helped participants ground and refine their ideas. The outcomes of the workshop, in the form of forest-robot concepts, represent a wide array of more-than-human design considerations. We also discuss the implications from the concepts through a critical more-than-human lens.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	CHI PLAY Companion 2025 - Companion Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play
Editors	Erik Harpstead, Jessica Hammer, Elizabeth Bonsignore, Mitchell McEwan, Katja Rogers, Oguz Buruk
Publisher	ACM
Pages	73-79
ISBN (Electronic)	9798400720239
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3744736.3749334
Publication status	Published - 13 Oct 2025
Publication type	A4 Article in conference proceedings
Event	The Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play - Pittsburgh, United States Duration: 13 Oct 2025 → 16 Oct 2025

Conference

Conference	The Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play
Country/Territory	United States
City	Pittsburgh
Period	13/10/25 → 16/10/25

Keywords

forest-robot interaction
More-than-human design
playful creation
speculative design workshop

Publication forum classification

Publication forum level 1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Human-Computer Interaction

Access to Document

10.1145/3744736.3749334

Forest_Robot_StorminAccepted author manuscript, 4.9 MB

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202602032241

Cite this

Ahmed, E., Chambers, P., Nummenmaa, T., Selkimäki, M., Hujala, T., Hamari, J., & Buruk, O. O. (2025). Forest-Robot-Stormin': Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions. In E. Harpstead, J. Hammer, E. Bonsignore, M. McEwan, K. Rogers, & O. Buruk (Eds.), CHI PLAY Companion 2025 - Companion Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (pp. 73-79). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3744736.3749334

Ahmed, Eshtiak ; Chambers, Philip ; Nummenmaa, Timo et al. / Forest-Robot-Stormin' : Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions. CHI PLAY Companion 2025 - Companion Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play. editor / Erik Harpstead ; Jessica Hammer ; Elizabeth Bonsignore ; Mitchell McEwan ; Katja Rogers ; Oguz Buruk. ACM, 2025. pp. 73-79

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title = "Forest-Robot-Stormin': Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions",

abstract = "This paper presents a speculative design workshop that represents an initial attempt to explore playful methods for envisioning more-than-human forest-robot interactions. Bringing together game designers, researchers, and technologists, the two-day workshop used creative games, such as a forest-themed fake news card game and AI-generated PowerPoint karaoke, to provoke imaginative thinking. Participants developed speculative concepts through bodystorming, storyboarding, and the creation of short videos, featuring a Boston Dynamics Spot robot. Our analysis, grounded in visual thematic analysis, highlights how play facilitated ideation, visualization, and the making of more-than-human forest-robot concepts. As a work-in-progress, we learned that some game elements proved to be too abstract; however, the iterative making and acting processes helped participants ground and refine their ideas. The outcomes of the workshop, in the form of forest-robot concepts, represent a wide array of more-than-human design considerations. We also discuss the implications from the concepts through a critical more-than-human lens.",

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author = "Eshtiak Ahmed and Philip Chambers and Timo Nummenmaa and Mari Selkim{\"a}ki and Teppo Hujala and Juho Hamari and Buruk, \{Oguz Oz\}",

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Ahmed, E, Chambers, P, Nummenmaa, T, Selkimäki, M, Hujala, T, Hamari, J & Buruk, OO 2025, Forest-Robot-Stormin': Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions. in E Harpstead, J Hammer, E Bonsignore, M McEwan, K Rogers & O Buruk (eds), CHI PLAY Companion 2025 - Companion Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play. ACM, pp. 73-79, The Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play, Pittsburgh, United States, 13/10/25. https://doi.org/10.1145/3744736.3749334

Forest-Robot-Stormin': Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions. / Ahmed, Eshtiak; Chambers, Philip; Nummenmaa, Timo et al.
CHI PLAY Companion 2025 - Companion Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play. ed. / Erik Harpstead; Jessica Hammer; Elizabeth Bonsignore; Mitchell McEwan; Katja Rogers; Oguz Buruk. ACM, 2025. p. 73-79.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

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AU - Nummenmaa, Timo

AU - Selkimäki, Mari

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AU - Buruk, Oguz Oz

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N2 - This paper presents a speculative design workshop that represents an initial attempt to explore playful methods for envisioning more-than-human forest-robot interactions. Bringing together game designers, researchers, and technologists, the two-day workshop used creative games, such as a forest-themed fake news card game and AI-generated PowerPoint karaoke, to provoke imaginative thinking. Participants developed speculative concepts through bodystorming, storyboarding, and the creation of short videos, featuring a Boston Dynamics Spot robot. Our analysis, grounded in visual thematic analysis, highlights how play facilitated ideation, visualization, and the making of more-than-human forest-robot concepts. As a work-in-progress, we learned that some game elements proved to be too abstract; however, the iterative making and acting processes helped participants ground and refine their ideas. The outcomes of the workshop, in the form of forest-robot concepts, represent a wide array of more-than-human design considerations. We also discuss the implications from the concepts through a critical more-than-human lens.

AB - This paper presents a speculative design workshop that represents an initial attempt to explore playful methods for envisioning more-than-human forest-robot interactions. Bringing together game designers, researchers, and technologists, the two-day workshop used creative games, such as a forest-themed fake news card game and AI-generated PowerPoint karaoke, to provoke imaginative thinking. Participants developed speculative concepts through bodystorming, storyboarding, and the creation of short videos, featuring a Boston Dynamics Spot robot. Our analysis, grounded in visual thematic analysis, highlights how play facilitated ideation, visualization, and the making of more-than-human forest-robot concepts. As a work-in-progress, we learned that some game elements proved to be too abstract; however, the iterative making and acting processes helped participants ground and refine their ideas. The outcomes of the workshop, in the form of forest-robot concepts, represent a wide array of more-than-human design considerations. We also discuss the implications from the concepts through a critical more-than-human lens.

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Ahmed E, Chambers P, Nummenmaa T, Selkimäki M, Hujala T, Hamari J et al. Forest-Robot-Stormin': Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions. In Harpstead E, Hammer J, Bonsignore E, McEwan M, Rogers K, Buruk O, editors, CHI PLAY Companion 2025 - Companion Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play. ACM. 2025. p. 73-79 doi: 10.1145/3744736.3749334

Forest-Robot-Stormin': Exploring Play for Eliciting More-than-Human (MtH) Forest-Robot Interactions

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