About the Symposium
Current Views on Embodiment:
10 Years After VERE
It is approximately ten years since the end of a trailblazing European project called VERE (Virtual Embodiment and Robotic Re-Embodiment). This project brought together philosophers, ethicists, neuroscientists, computer scientists specialising in virtual reality, and robotic engineers, to develop embodiment interfaces, body ownership and agency. In 2019 we held a five-year anniversary symposium in Barcelona, which was a great success. This year we are fortunate to have teamed up with representatives of the Biennale in Venice, and have decided to hold the next symposium there.
The meeting is conceived as a focused, high-level symposium taking stock of the major developments in embodiment research since the end of that programme, and confronting the next set of conceptual and methodological challenges for the field. We have brought together a small group spanning neuroscience, cognitive science, virtual reality and embodiment researchers, robotics and AI, body extensions and prosthetics, interoception and internal states, emotion and affective embodiment, embodiment and consciousness, animal models of body representation, and links between the body and memory (including autobiographical memory).
A central aim is to encourage genuine interaction rather than parallel monologues: talks are planned in the 30-minute range within structured thematic sessions, complemented by extended Q&A and panel discussions. We are also including a poster/demo component and short-format contributions to broaden exchange without turning the meeting into a large conference.
Conceptually, we are developing an explicit bridge to the Biennale's theme "In Minor Keys," interpreted in our context as a focus on introspection, tonal ambiguity, emotional depth, and experiential—rather than purely declarative—forms of knowledge, which aligns naturally with the questions embodiment research poses and the methods it now makes possible.
Beyond stimulating discussion, we hope the meeting will crystallise concrete next steps—shared frameworks, comparative protocols, and at least one collaborative output such as a position paper, joint manuscript, or proposal outline emerging from the closing discussion.
Confirmed
Invited Speakers
Registration
Registration
The cost of registration is:
- €25for undergraduate students
- €45for predocs and postdocs
- €70for Faculty and the general public
These fees include 2 days of workshop and 3-day pass access to the Biennale itself.
If you would like to present a short oral communication please send an abstract to embodiment20years@outlook.com.
Please note that places are limited, so we encourage early registration. Spots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.