ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Batten and Kamp's Beauty Seeker Seeker: An AI Robot Vase for a Single Orchid

ai-technology · 2026-09-08

Batten and Kamp have introduced Beauty Seeker Seeker, an AI vase that employs robotic movement to draw human focus to a single orchid. This innovative project merges a decorative item with an autonomous robotic system, delving into themes like the attention economy, weaponized cuteness, and the intersection of technology with nature. The designers intentionally limited the robot’s technological functions by omitting its onboard camera, emphasizing the object's behavior in a home environment rather than its tech capabilities. Utilizing LiDAR, the robot maps its environment and tracks individuals, guiding their gaze toward the orchid. Crafted from 3D-printed aluminum and glass, the vase presents the flower as a product of human cultivation. Building on their 2023 work Comfort Seeker Seeker, which featured an Eames LCW chair and a Boston Dynamics Spot robot, the designers aim to showcase a fully automated version in 2027. This project prompts reflections on life, value, and attention, mirroring tactics used by natural organisms to captivate interest.

Key facts

  • Batten and Kamp created Beauty Seeker Seeker, an embodied AI vase that uses robotic movement to direct attention to a single orchid.
  • The project examines the attention economy, weaponized cuteness, and the relationship between technology and the natural world.
  • The robot's onboard camera and other functions were removed to reduce its technological capabilities.
  • The robot uses LiDAR to map surroundings and track nearby people, following them to direct gaze toward the orchid.
  • The vase is 3D printed from aluminum and glass.
  • Beauty Seeker Seeker develops the duo's 2023 project Comfort Seeker Seeker, which paired an Eames LCW chair with a Boston Dynamics Spot robot.
  • The designers plan to present the project as a fully automated version in 2027.
  • The work questions what is alive, what matters, and what deserves attention.

Entities

Artists

  • Batten and Kamp

Institutions

  • designboom

Sources

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