This research examines existing and future robotic morphologies. Robots can transcend the often arbitrary relationship between technology and form through their performance of analogous tasks. Increasingly self-reflective and autonomous robots may communicate with speech and movement, potentially replacing the traditional computer interface with the signs and symbols of fundamental human communication. This presents a unique and challenging opportunity for morphological exploration. Through interviews with leading professionals in a variety of associated fields, this project aims to initiate an interdisciplinary discourse to better define a spectrum of robotic design methodologies. The work explores beneficial and destructive implications of robots in everyday culture, acknowledging them as a significant force in the shaping our complex relationship with technology.

Born in New York in 1979, Leon Ransmeier graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. In 2005 he established Ransmeier Inc., a New York based industrial design practice. Notable clients include Herman Miller, HAY, Mattiazzi, and Wright 21. Ransmeier's collaboration with industry often results in subtle interventions into the way we perceive and use things. His designs have been exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, as well as in the 2010 and 2006 Design Triennials at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York. Ransmeier's work has been published internationally and is included in the permanent collections at SFMOMA and the Corning Museum of Glass.