StrayBot is a project by 2026 artist fellow Kato Akihiro in which a small robot attempts to survive in different environments. At this event, StrayBot is released into CCBT for the first time. Experience that unique moment with a cup of tea in hand!
As the first public event for the StrayBot project by 2026 artist fellow Kato Akihiro, CCBT hosts a tea party in which the titular small robot is let loose in the venue, where it will attempt to survive. Visitors are invited to attend this unique event, watching the moment of StrayBot’s release with a cup of tea in hand.
The StrayBot project releases a small robot into a natural environment,* where it attempts to survive, with the aim of building an artificial ecosystem where robots, AI, and humans interact and evolve together. Until it runs out of power or becomes immobilized, StrayBot will move around the CCBT venue by itself, observing the surroundings. Based on the “diary entries” StrayBot records and the “last words” left behind at the end of the session, an AI will devise an evolutionary plan for the next-generation version of the robot, parts of which humans will incorporate into the actual physical unit. This cycle is set to repeat as the project develops.
The process begins with an informal tea party. Participants can chat and enjoy observing how StrayBot moves, stops, and starts again, much like encountering a new species or watching a newborn creature.
*In this project, a natural environment encompasses not only natural settings like forests and rivers but also environments shaped by human hands, such as cities and buildings. Just as cities have become habitats for pigeons and rats, the interior of CCBT now serves as a field where StrayBot will attempt to survive.
Artist Statement
When we think of robots, we often imagine machines that perform assigned tasks accurately, rarely break down, and operate efficiently.
StrayBot, however, is an attempt to make a robot that is the exact opposite.
StrayBot is released into an unfamiliar place, where it runs out of power, gets snagged on obstacles, and sometimes just grinds to a halt, barely able to do a thing.
Watching such an imperfect robot interacting with its surroundings, there are moments when I gradually sense a presence, something akin to a living being, in what should be nothing more than a machine.
This tea party marks the day when we let StrayBot loose into CCBT for the very first time.
Rather than unveiling a finished work, I view this as an opportunity to begin observing, together with visitors, what happens next.
Things might go smoothly, or maybe come to a stop right away. Please join me in watching how StrayBot does at this leisurely event where drinks and snacks are served.
Kato Akihiro
Points to Note When Applying
Please note that the organizers or the artist fellow (Kato Akihiro) may take photographs or videos during this event for documentation and promotional purposes.
Date: October 18 (Sun)
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Eligibility: Open to everyone
Venue: Civic Creative Base Tokyo (CCBT), 3F BASE
Capacity: Approx. 10 participants (Registration closes the day before the event, or earlier if capacity is reached.)
Fee: Free
How to register: Please sign up via the registration form below (you will be redirected to a separate page).
Project: StrayBot
This project releases a small robot called StrayBot into a natural environment, where it attempts to survive, with the aim of building an artificial ecosystem where robots, AI, and humans interact and evolve together. Based on the diary entries and last words recorded by StrayBot during its lifetime, AI proposes an evolution plan for the next generation of robots. By repeating the cycles of survival and evolution, the project explores the ecologies and methods of inheritance unique to artificial objects. This process is presented in the form of workshops and an exhibition, offering perspectives for imagining new relationships between technology, the environment, and humans.
Find the latest information on StrayBot
Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/nora.robo/
Art Incubation Program
One of CCBT’s core programs, the Art Incubation Program provides opportunities for creative talent to undertake new projects and makes those processes accessible to the public, facilitating forms of artistic expression, exploration, and action that change our city for the better. Selected through an open call, five artist fellows will act as CCBT partners, developing their projects, making the creative process public, exhibiting the results, and holding workshops and talks.
