Organized on the occasion of the Italian Research Day in the World, and as part of the “Creative Dialogues between Italy and Kazakhstan” series initiated by the Italian Institute of Culture in Almaty, this event brings together two fields that may seem distant, yet are increasingly interconnected: soft robotics and olfactory art that uses scents as a medium.

Artist Francesca Casale and robotics researcher Niccolò Pagliarani explore the sensory potential of contemporary machines, reflecting on what it means “to perceive” in the age of artificial intelligence. Through a conversation that connects technology, aesthetics, and philosophy, the discussion turns to smell as a largely unexplored frontier: can a machine recognize, interpret, or even imagine scent?

Bringing together soft robotic systems capable of interacting with their environment and artistic practices that use fragrance as a medium, the lecture opens a broader reflection on the relationship between human and non-human, body and simulation, and experience and code.

The conversation will be moderated by Gianluigi Ricuperati and is conceived as a shared space for inquiry — into how emerging technologies may not only replicate the senses, but also reshape our understanding of perception itself.

Speakers:

Niccolò Pagliarani is a bionics engineer and soft robotics researcher, currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, as well as Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder of Capio Robotics. His work focuses on safe and adaptive robotic systems for real-world applications, including agri-food automation, assistive robotics, and space technologies.

Francesca Casale (SENSU), is a Turin-based artist working at the intersection of olfactory and visual practices. With a background in perfumery and herbalism, she explores smell as an intangible medium, creating immersive environments that invite sensory engagement and embodied experience.

Moderator:

Gianluigi Ricuperati is a writer, curator, and creative director. He curates public programs at Triennale Milano and Castello di Rivoli, and is the director of the Institute for Production of Wonder and the non-profit FAUST. He is also the publisher of Nova Express and the author of multiple books and publications.

The lecture will be held in English; admission is free and no registration is required.

In addition to the conversation, Niccolò Pagliarani and Francesca Casale will deliver a closed-door workshop for students, focused on their research — a sort of mini masterclass with a practical and educational approach.