Technology is a double-edged sword. It adds huge convenience to our lives, but at the same time the development of robotics and equipment is taking the jobs of many workers. In the 19th century, a group of workers calling themselves Luddites gathered to destroy the machines that were replacing them in factories, trying to put a stop to the industrial revolution. It could be regarded as one of the earliest oppositions to science and technology. Fast forward and we are now on the crest of the fourth wave of the industrial revolution, with robotics and artificial intelligence being the buzzwords in technology. At this stage we can’t help but to ask ourselves: are robots our saviour? A way to achieve a better quality of life in the future? Or, in a more Hollywood sense, are they mankind’s ultimate nightmare?

“Hello, Robot. Design between Man and Machine” is an exhibition organised by Vitra Design Museum in Germany. It showcases over 150 exhibits related to robots, created by various designers who have explored the connection between machines and human beings. These pieces include  design, art, films and literature. Visitors can view different styles of robots created in different turning points of history and though a variety of perspectives.

Looking at our current society, our lives are inseparable from technology. “Hello, Robot. Design between Man and Machine” shows us not only the fictional robots from pop culture and pure fantasy, but also those that appear in reality, such as the welding and painting robots used in manufacturing, the cleaning robot that we might have seen in public spaces, and the very human-like social robot that can make your heart race. If technology is irreversible, what place do robots occupy in our daily life and how can we explore our future in technology optimistically? These are the subjects that the exhibition explores for its viewers.