For ACI 2026, the conference's thirteenth edition, we invite a wide range of theoretical, methodological, empirical or ethical contributions that have the potential to promote a constructive dialogue around around the animal-centered research and design of computing-enabled systems. We welcome submissions from multidisciplinary areas, including computer science, informatics, engineering, interaction design, animal behavior and welfare science, veterinary science, ecology, sociology, philosophy, and more. Our aim is to foster the development of Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI) as a discipline. Each of these disciplines brings a valuable perspective to the field, so multidisciplinary contributions with a focus on animal-centered interactions involving technology are encouraged.

 

In an increasingly networked world pervaded by technology, in which (nonhuman and human) animals are increasingly entangled in webs of interactions that affect them in different, more or less obvious ways, whether positively or negatively, the notion of interaction has to be understood in the broadest possible sense, whether interactions are direct or indirect, dyadic or distributed, passive or active, cognitive or physical, co-located or remote, synchronous or asynchronous. 

​​

Submissions might address topics such as the role of technology in shaping human-animal relationships; studies and/or analyses of large-scale deployments of technology for animals; considerations of the wider context of technology for animal use; methods and reflections on studying the next generation of technology for animals; or how to conduct ACI research in a world where commercial design and deployment of technology for animals outpaces academic thought. High-quality submissions on any topic related to ACI are welcome. All submissions will be peer-reviewed. 

​

ACI 2026 also calls for submissions in the field of Animal-Machine Interaction. A definition from the book "Tier-Maschine-Interaktion" ("Animal-Machine Interaction", Springer Gabler, April 2026) by Oliver Bendel reads as follows. "Animal-Machine Interaction (AMI) is the discipline that explores the interaction or communication between animals and machines. In more colloquial terms, it is about the encounter and coexistence of animals and machines in different environments. The focus of Animal-Machine Interaction is on using and designing machines in such a way that animals benefit from them and their interests are protected, as in animal-friendly systems and machines that ensure their survival and well-being." There are some overlaps with Animal-Computer Interaction, but also some differences. The purpose is to design autonomous machines such as certain drones and robots and to develop animal-friendly machines. 

​​​​

Submission Tracks 

Contributions can be submitted to any of the following tracks: 

​​​​

Research Papers: Submission deadline May 1, 2026

Emerging Work Papers: Submission deadline May 1, 2026
Workshop Proposals: Submission deadline June 1, 2026

​​

Contribution Areas

​

Relevant contribution angles might include but are not limited to: 

​​​

• Design: for example, interaction modalities that may need to be developed in order to make technology accessible to other animals; novel designs for users with different sensory apparatuses, cognitive capabilities, and ergonomic characteristics; multisensory interfaces and alternative interactional paradigms appropriate for ACI; design solutions developed within ACI applications that could inform design within other disciplines 

• Methodology: for example, methodological frameworks enabling animals to actively participate in the design process as legitimate stakeholders, contributors, and users; multidisciplinary methodologies that can be called upon when designing with animals or investigating how technology affects them and their interactions with humans; methodologies that can be derived from other disciplines; more-than-human approaches developed within ACI that could contribute to other disciplines 

• Theory: for example, main challenges that ACI researchers may encounter in conceptualizing the interaction between humans, animals and technology; ways of interpreting the outcomes of applied studies, concrete designs and research practices to articulate such interactions; existing theoretical frameworks from other disciplines, that ACI theories can draw from or contribute to 

• Ethics: for example, legitimate technological applications for ACI; implications of ACI's animal-centered perspective for conducting research that involves animal participants; ethical frameworks that may or may not be suitable to support the development of ACI; relation between ethics and methodology in ACI; potential influence of ACI ethics on research and practice in other disciplines  

• Applications: for example, ACI applications relating to animal studies or husbandry, or practices involving animals in a range of contexts; applications that mediate the interaction between humans and other animals, or interactions among other animals; animal technologies that do or do not constitute good examples of or models for ACI.

​​​

Assessment Criteria 

​

All submissions will be assessed based on the following criteria: 

​​​

• Significance of the contribution. Submissions should make novel and significant contributions to knowledge relevant to the field of ACI, proportionate to the submission category (e.g. research papers should make a more substantial contribution compared to Emerging Work papers). 

• Quality of the submission. Submissions should be of high quality, both with regards to their content (e.g., the work presented should be well motivated concerning existing issues and related work; approaches and methodologies should be appropriately chosen and rigorously implemented; the significance of research findings should be properly discussed; arguments should be carefully constructed and claims adequately supported) and with regards to its presentation (e.g., the structure should be appropriate to the type of contribution; the work should be described clearly; the use of language should be correct; terminology should be accessible to non-specialists or any specialist terminology should be explained). 

• Transparency of the approach. The submission should clearly discuss design, methodological, and ethical considerations. In particular, each submission should explain how animals have been involved or represented, how their role and perspective have been accounted for in the work, and, if applicable, what ethical perspectives or frameworks have been applied. 

• No harm principle. Research that intentionally or knowingly harms animals ("harm by design") will not be considered for presentation or publication at this conference. However, research that aims to minimise or eliminate harm to which animals are already subjected will be considered.