Human Zoo: Fontys ICT InnovationLab explores human identity in the age of digital doppelgangers

Where does digital begin and physical end?

In a world where our digital identity, shaped by algorithms, behavioural data and AI, is becoming increasingly prominent, the boundaries between our physical and digital selves are blurring. Human Zoo offers visitors a unique space to experience and question this emerging reality. The installation presents six different projects in which visitors can communicate in real time with virtual entities, from digital ancestors to AI shamans.

“We are on the cusp of a fundamental shift in how we understand identity, authenticity and human connection,” says Dr. Mark de Graaf, professor in Interaction Design at Fontys. 'With Human Zoo, we are not only creating an experience, but also an open research tool that asks socially relevant questions about our digital future. It is essential that we as a society think carefully and inclusively about the impact of these technologies on what it means to be human."

Six projects, six perspectives

Human Zoo consists of six interactive installations, each exploring a different aspect of digital identity:

• Flowerman: An emotional digital avatar that confronts visitors with imperfection and vulnerability in the digital world
• Atabey: A digital shaman who combines ancient Taíno wisdom with modern dilemmas
• Peter Dielesen: A reconstructed ancestor who questions the boundary between life and death
• Mutual Imprint: An installation that celebrates physical connection through digital imprints of embraces
• Constructed Mirror: A confrontational encounter with a digital version of yourself
• Stories in Alterhumanity: Stories of people who identify with non-human entities

Speculative design as a research method

The project was developed according to a speculative, practice-oriented design approach that combines interaction design, critical theory and public engagement. Woody Veneman, Bram Tuns and Stan van Oers, lecturers and researchers who are the driving forces behind the project, emphasise the importance of this approach:

‘Human Zoo is more than an exhibition, it is a laboratory for the future,’ say the creators. “By allowing visitors to actually interact with these digital beings, authentic reactions and insights arise that you could never achieve with traditional research. We see people laughing, hesitating, becoming emotional. That human response to digital intelligence is what matters to us.”

Fontys ICT InnovationLab: where education, research and practice come together

The Fontys ICT InnovationLab is a hybrid learning environment in the heart of the Brainport region where education, research and the work field meet. The Research Group of Interaction Design focuses on embodied interaction, ethical design practices and exploring the digital future – themes that are central to Human Zoo.